September 02, (THEWILL) – Novak Djokovic showed his trademark resolve and mental fortitude on Friday, rallying from two sets down to defeat compatriot, Laslo Djere, 4-6 4-6 6-1 6-1 6-3 and advance to the fourth round of the US Open.
The top-seeded Serb faced the possibility of his earliest exit from Flushing Meadows since 2006, but dug deep to avoid the upset against the 32nd-seeded Djere. After coasting through his first two matches, Djokovic suddenly found himself struggling against an inspired Djere, who claimed the first two sets. With the prospect of a shock defeat looming, Djokovic retreated to the locker room after the second set for an urgent pep talk to regain his focus.
He revealed afterwards, “I did a little pep talk in the mirror. I laughed at myself because I was so pissed off with the way I played, to try and lift my spirits up.” The speech worked, as Djokovic proceeded to dominate the next three sets to complete the comeback.
The second-round scare means Djokovic will head into the second week determined to lift his level, as he bids for a record-tying 24th Grand Slam singles title. The win marked the eighth time in his illustrious career that he has recovered from a two-set deficit to win at a major on what is becoming a characteristic of the tennis legend.
Djokovic will next face Croatian qualifier, Borna Gojo, for a place in the quarter-finals. With his major hopes still alive courtesy of this thrilling comeback, the world number two will be heavily favoured to continue his quest for the US Open crown.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.