Novak Djokovic continued his march toward a record 25th Grand Slam title with a commanding straight-sets victory over German qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff, reaching the US Open quarter-finals in style.
The 38-year-old Serb brushed aside Struff 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 in under two hours on Arthur Ashe Stadium, showcasing his trademark control and precision despite twice calling for medical attention during the match. He is now the oldest player in the Open era to reach the quarter-finals at all four majors in a single season.
Djokovic, playing his first tournament since his Wimbledon semi-final defeat in July, looked sharp throughout, firing 33 winners and 12 aces without a single double fault. Yet questions persist about his physical condition. After appearing fatigued in earlier rounds and struggling with a lower back issue in his third-round win over Britain’s Cameron Norrie, Djokovic again showed signs of wear, receiving treatment for both a neck and right forearm issue during the match.
Still, his performance left little doubt about his intent.
“It definitely helps if you serve well,” Djokovic said post-match. “I think I had a great serving performance in the last round and also tonight. I out-served one of the guys with the most aces this tournament, so that’s a great stat.”
Djokovic will now face American fourth seed Taylor Fritz in the last eight, following the American’s straight-sets win over Czech Tomas Machac.
Off the court, Djokovic shared that his quarter-final clash falls on his daughter Tara’s birthday — something she’s not entirely happy about. “She was not very happy about it, me being absent from the birthday party,” he admitted. “I’ll try to win and give her that kind of present. I’m going to send some nice presents as well, nice surprises for her birthday party.”
Despite the physical concerns, Djokovic’s form on court remains formidable. He started the match in blistering fashion, racing to a 4-0 lead, and while he slowed slightly after treatment on his neck, he never relinquished control.
After clinching the first set 6-3, he again called for the physio, this time for his forearm. But his level didn’t drop — he powered through four consecutive games in the second set and comfortably closed out the third.
It was Djokovic’s 64th Grand Slam quarter-final appearance in his 80th major, underlining his status as one of the most consistent players in the sport’s history.
“I don’t know how many more I am going to have,” Djokovic said of playing under the lights at Ashe, “so each one is very special.”
