Djokovic Struggles for a Spell, Then Crushes Becker

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Djokovic Struggles for a Spell, Then Crushes Becker

By Chris Oddo/ Friday, August 30, 2013

Novak Djokovic struggled through a scratchy first set, then cruised to a straight-sets victory over Benjamin Becker on Friday.

Photo Source: AP

After one set of his second-round match with Benjamin Becker, Novak Djokovic had already doubled his unforced error count for the 2013 U.S. Open. The wind was picking up in Arthur Ashe Stadium, balls were flying, and a not-quite-ready-for-battle Djokovic didn't really find his rhythm until he knocked back two set points with Becker serving for the set.

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But that relatively tense moment seemed to serve as Djokovic's smelling salt on Friday. He was on point from that point on, ripping through the tiebreaker and cruising through the final two sets in crisp, Djoker-like fashion. It was not a perfect match, but it was more than good enough at this stage of the tournament.

“It was a tough match for me today,” said Djokovic. “I was fortunate enough to come back in the first set and after that I felt much more comfortable on the court.”

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Comfort might be an understatement. Djokovic hit 27 winners to eight unforced errors in the final two sets, breaking Becker four times and never facing another break point. It was the type of tennis that we've come accustomed to seeing Djokovic play on hard courts over the years, but also, his slow start was something we've seen a lot of lately from the World No. 1

For Djokovic, the challenge seems to be producing his best tennis all the time, not just when he needs it. Is he reluctant to step on the gas too early at Grand Slams? Is this a personal decision by a player who prides himself on raising his game up to and above the level of even his most sturdy opponents, or has his ability to produce the consistently flawless tennis that he produced in 2011 wavered?

Will Djokovic be able to flick the switch and play his most flawless, most inspired tennis when the bell needs to be answered next week, or is he tempting fate by not playing with the same sense of urgency in the early rounds?

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“I'm still trying to find the right rhythm on the court,” said Djokovic. “The first match was fantastic. Today was tricky conditions in the first hour of the match I wasn't managing to play as well as I wanted, but after that I felt more confident and more comfortable on the court.”

It was another straight-sets win for Djokovic, and he's through to the third round with very little struggle, so all is well for now. With a potential quarterfinal with Juan Martin del Potro, a potential semifinal with Andy Murray and a potential final with Rafael Nadal standing between Djokovic and his second U.S. Open and seventh Grand Slam title, the less wear and tear he puts on his body from now until the quarterfinals, the better.

So far, he's accomplished that mission.

But further down the road, when the missions get tougher, it's still unclear whether we'll see the Djokovic who struggled to win on hard courts this summer or the Djokovic who ruled New York in 2011.

Both are in him. Which one will emerge is the question.

Djokovic will face either Jarkko Nieminen or Joao Sousa in the third round.