Djokovic: Shocked by how poor his physical condition is, reveals a player he wants to coach after retirement

Djokovic kept his undefeated record in the US Open opening round by defeating Quentin Halys in straight sets. Yet, despite the smooth score, the Serbian faced some difficulties during the match.

The four-time tournament champion began powerfully against the young American, clinching the first set 6-1 with ease. However, Djokovic soon encountered issues with his footwork and balance, showing signs of fatigue even under not-so-demanding conditions, committing 20 unforced errors in the second set alone. Still, he withstood Halys’s first strong comeback attempt mid-second set, ultimately securing victory with two sets in hand.

“It was a somewhat strange match. The first set lasted only 20 minutes, but the second took an hour and 20 minutes—completely the opposite,” Djokovic said after the match. “The key was staying calm in the second set and winning the tiebreak. After that, I felt much better. Although I can play better, this is a solid start to this year’s US Open.”

From the outset, Djokovic served two aces and made only four unforced errors, wrapping up the first set in just 25 minutes. However, the rest of the match proved much more complicated.

“I started well,” Djokovic commented. “But the second set had several long games, and I began feeling... I was really surprised by how poor my physical condition was in the second set. Fortunately, I have two days to rest. It did worry me a bit. I don’t have any injuries, but I struggled to endure long rallies and found it hard to recover between points.”

This was Djokovic’s first match since his Wimbledon semifinal loss to Sinner, during which he frequently looked toward the coaching box for technical advice early on. At the start of the second set, he stumbled while receiving serve, exposing mobility issues.

Quentin Halys, who defeated Medvedev in five sets in the second round of this year’s Australian Open, appeared nervous under the 23,000-strong night crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Facing the 24-time Grand Slam champion, he failed to perform at his best, committing 25 unforced errors in the first two sets, including five double faults.

After the second set, Djokovic called the ATP tour physiotherapist Clay Snaitman to re-bandage his right big toe, which was bleeding. During the match, he also showed signs of hip discomfort and frequently raised his racket above his head, seemingly trying to take in more oxygen.

Chasing his first Grand Slam title since his fourth US Open crown in 2023, Djokovic will have two days of rest before facing American qualifier Wu Yibing on Wednesday.

Following this impressive win, Djokovic took part in a fun US Open challenge where players ask each other questions. When asked by Fonseca about his plans after retirement, the Serbian joked that he would coach Fonseca, teasing that since Fonseca comes from a wealthy background, his coaching fees would be “very expensive.”(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Spark)