Staff Reporter.
Novak Djokovic began his bid for a calendar Grand Slam by eventually easing through against injured Danish qualifier Holger Rune at the US Open.
Djokovic won 6-1 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 6-1 as Rune, 18, was hampered by cramp from the third set of his Grand Slam debut.
German fourth seed Alexander Zverev started his bid with a straight-set victory against American Sam Querrey.
The 24-year-old – who reached the final in 2020 – wrapped up his routine 6-4 7-5 6-2 win in one hour and 40 minutes.
Zverev is looking to add a first Grand Slam title to the Olympic gold he won in Tokyo at the start of August.
Djokovic’s bid to become the first man to win a ‘Golden Slam’ – all four Grand Slams and the Olympic title in the same year – was ended by Zverev in the Tokyo 2020 semi-finals.
But the world number one is still the heavy favourite to win at Flushing Meadows and become only the sixth player to complete a clean sweep of the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open.
Additionally, it would be the Serb’s 21st major title – an outright men’s record. It would move him clear of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal for the first time.
Djokovic, 34, was tuned in during an impressive start against former junior world number one Rune, serving strongly and not missing a return on his opponent’s first serve in a 26-minute opening set.
But his focus drifted in the second. Rune broke for a 3-0 lead as Djokovic started to hesitate, the Serb fighting back to lead 4-3 before hitting a double fault to put the set back on serve.
Boosted by the backing of a buoyant crowd on Arthur Ashe Stadium, the Danish teenager impressively won the second-set tie-break and lapped up the acclaim.
A sloppy service game from Rune enabled Djokovic to break for a 3-1 lead in the third set, before the youngster became impeded by cramp in his left leg.
Unable to walk properly between points and shaking his head in frustration, the world number 145 continued to play despite regularly receiving treatment.
The match was long over as a contest and could not provide a true gauge of Djokovic’s form as the Serb eased through the fourth set to tee up a meeting with Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands.
“It’s never nice to finish the match the way we finished today. Holger is an up and coming star and it is unfortunate he had to go through that,” said Djokovic, who consoled Rune at the net.
“It wasn’t the best of my performances but he played well in the second set when it mattered. I stayed in the moment and rectified the errors I had.
“After that it is difficult to talk much about the match. He couldn’t move much.”
Meanwhile British teenager Emma Raducanu showed her talent and maturity again on the Grand Slam stage as she eased to victory on her US Open main-draw debut.
Raducanu, 18, was a break down in each set but won 6-2 6-3 against experienced Swiss opponent Stefanie Vogele.
After her stunning run as a wildcard at Wimbledon in July, Raducanu qualified for her first major in New York.