Novak Djokovic battled through a lower back problem on Friday to defeat unseeded Briton Cameron Norrie 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-3 at the U.S. Open.
The 38-year-old’s victory under Arthur Ashe Stadium lights made him the oldest man to reach the U.S. Open fourth round since Jimmy Connors in 1991.
Djokovic, chasing a record 25th Grand Slam, surpassed Roger Federer for most hardcourt wins at majors with his 192nd career victory.
The Serbian star also extended his perfect head-to-head record against Norrie to 7-0.
“Any match, you want to win in straight sets without drama, but that’s not always possible,” Djokovic said after the match.
He joked that his team “wants me to suffer” on court to gain more match practice after a six-week break since Wimbledon.
Djokovic said Friday’s performance marked a clear improvement on his first two matches at this year’s tournament.
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He took control early, breaking for a 4-3 lead with a forehand winner, then fired his ninth ace to consolidate his advantage.
“It was probably my best serving performance of the tournament,” Djokovic said, calling it one of the game’s most crucial shots.
Late in the first set, Djokovic sought medical attention off-court for back pain but returned to serve out the set.
He required more treatment early in the second set and briefly saw a dip in his first-serve speed.
Despite the discomfort, Djokovic matched Norrie shot-for-shot, though the Briton leveled the match by winning the tiebreak.
Norrie broke early in the third set with a smart drop shot, but Djokovic responded by winning three consecutive games.
During that stretch, Djokovic stopped to confront a noisy spectator in the Arthur Ashe stands, telling them to stay quiet.
From there, Djokovic took full control, easing through the remaining games to book a fourth-round clash with Jan-Lennard Struff.
“You have ups and downs. You don’t want to reveal too much to your rivals,” Djokovic said, referencing the injury.
“I’m good, man. I’m as young and strong as ever,” he added.
(NAN)
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