He Says He Must, And Then He Does

An approachable, non-violent civil war always serves as a nice backdrop to a tennis match: think Sabarenka-Azarenza in 2019, or Wawrinka-Federer in Australia in 2017. For a moment there, we could’ve been talked into an incredible upset from one countryman to another, one of the late-night stunners that occasionally resonate into conversations about legacy and impact.

But Novak hit the switch in the third round of the US Open, and he never looked back. This is LeBron in 2018: penetrable, but incredibly dangerous when he commits to it. Realizing he was in something approaching trouble down two sets to none, Djokovic simply decided to win.

To his credit, Laslo Djere put up a hell of a fight against his countryman: somehow handily winning two sets off the bat against the number-two seed[1]. Djokovic, so typically cast as the tennis robot, repeatedly made mistakes and misplayed balls that were perfectly suited for him. Any ball that Djere played to Novak’s backhand spelled trouble.

But the paint started to peel in the third set, as some combination of Djere tiring and/or losing some edge and Djokovic remembering he’s the greatest all-around player in men’s history put a quick stamp on sets three and four.

The player we know and admire, even if we acknowledge his madness, remains within Novak. He moves beautifully when he tunes in; it requires an engaged opponent likely playing the best tennis of his life. Those times are coming more often for Djokovic now, but he’s still winning.

Still, it’s truly wonderful – tennis at its best – when a rival moves Novak to play as he did on Friday night. The rally in the fifth set, which featured volleys and behind-the-back replies to save Djere’s service game and get it to 5-3, was electrifying.

As sometimes comes with the territory, Djere netted a few unforced errors and smashed a couple of returns wide. He kept his serve tight but wasn’t pushing anything, coming in with half as many aces as Djokovic.

Novak wasn’t letting anything get away. As he’s taken to doing, he drew in the remaining nighthawks of Arthur Ashe. He seeks it; he’s also never needed it.

4-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1, 6-3. He knows who he is. He turns it on when necessary. Novak Djokovic, he who could do it all. “THIS 36-YEAR-OLD BODY!”

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[1] He will soon and again be the number one-ranked player in the world.