US Open: Rusty Novak Djokovic begins attempt to set Grand Slam record as Radu Albot suffers devastating defeat

The 37-year-old Djokovic, who again wore a gray sleeve over his surgically treated right knee, struggled with his serve and made almost twice as many unforced errors as Winner.

However, the No. 2 seed, who equaled Roger Federer with his 89th US Open win, had more than enough weapons to keep the Moldovan journeyman at bay in their first meeting on the tour.

Djokovic improved his record in first-round matches at Flushing Meadows to 18-0 and now has an overall record of 89-13 in the hard-court tournament, which he has won four times, including a year ago.

With his 78th win, he also set the record for most wins by a male player on the main show court.

“To be honest, I wasn’t aware of that,” said the Serb. “It’s the biggest stadium. Definitely the loudest in the history of our sport. The night sessions at Arthur Ashe are the best in the world.”

“Since the roof was put in, it’s gotten even louder. An electric atmosphere… it’s midnight now. I love night sessions, maybe not that late, but it was great fun.”

Djokovic has never lost earlier than the third round at the US Open; his opponent has never advanced beyond the third round in 30 appearances at majors and has never defeated a top-10 player.

Although he had never played against Albot, Djokovic said he had done a lot of research on the 34-year-old, who had beaten both his younger brothers Marko and Djordje during his playing days.

Djokovic avenged the family name in three rusty sets, closing the match with a strong serve to set up an all-Serbian clash with Laslo Djere for a place in the third round.

Gauff easily defeated Frenchwoman Varvara Gracheva 6-2, 6-0 in Ashe. The American put disappointing performances in Toronto and Cincinnati behind her and got off to a quick start in the last major of the year.

“The last few weeks have been tough and I thought to myself, ‘I have to do this and that,’ but I don’t have to prove anything to anyone but myself,” Gauff said.

“This whole week or two weeks is just about fulfilling all the expectations I have of myself.”

Second seed Aryna Sabalenka, winner of the Australian Open and one of the pre-tournament favorites, shone under the floodlights as she defeated Australia’s Priscilla Hon 6-3, 6-3.

Last year’s runner-up arrived in New York fresh from her triumph in Cincinnati and is aiming to become the first woman since Angelique Kerber in 2016 to win the season’s two hard-court majors in the same year.

Chinese Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen opened the matches at Louis Armstrong Stadium with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 win over Amanda Anisimova, while her compatriot Wang Yafan advanced after ninth-seeded Maria Sakkari retired due to injury at 6-2.

For Thiem, who is retiring at the end of the season due to a career-ending wrist injury, it was the end of his career as the 2020 champion lost 4-6, 2-6, 2-6 to American Ben Shelton.

Diego Schwartzman also said goodbye to Flushing Meadows after the Argentine’s last appearance at the tournament ended in a 6:7(2), 6:2, 6:2, 6:1 defeat to Frenchman Gael Monfils.

Fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev, who lost the final to Thiem four years ago, began his latest attempt to win his first major title with a 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-2 victory over fellow German Maximilian Marterer.