Novak Djokovic shakes off a back
problem and reaches the 4th round of the US Open at 38
[August 30, 2025]
By BRIAN MAHONEY
NEW YORK (AP) — Novak Djokovic believes his tennis is still good
enough to compete for a 25th Grand Slam title.
It's his body that has to show it can hold up.
Djokovic shook off a back problem early in the match to beat Cam
Norrie on Friday night and, at 38, become the oldest man to reach
the fourth round of the U.S. Open since Jimmy Connors was the same
age in 1991.
Djokovic pulled away to win 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-2, 6-3, helped by
hitting 18 aces in what he said was his best serving performance of
a tournament in which he needed treatment for a blister on his big
toe in the first round and for his back in the third.
“The wear and tear on the body all these years is taking a toll, and
I’m aware of it, but I’m resisting it,” Djokovic said. “I’m trying
to do my best to still be out there competing with the young guys in
the highest level.”
The 24-time Grand Slam champion seemed in jeopardy of matching his
earliest exit in Flushing Meadows when he needed medical attention
near the end of the first set. But he recovered to reach the last 16
of a major for the 69th time, matching Roger Federer for most ever,
and will next face German qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff.
“It’s just fantastic how good he’s playing,” Struff said. “He shows
us all that you can play long tennis and very, very good tennis at
his age.”
It was during a point at 5-3 in the first set that Djokovic raised
his racket awkwardly to reach a volley and immediately showed signs
that all was not well. He began trying to stretch his back between
points and barely ran for one ball that Norrie hit toward a corner.
After that, Djokovic indicated to the chair umpire that he wanted a
visit from a trainer, and soon was walking to the locker room for a
medical timeout, clutching at his lower left back. Djokovic returned
to the court soon and held serve to take the opening set.
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Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, stretches against Cameron Norrie, of
Great Britain, during the third round of the U.S . Open tennis
championships, Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam
Hunger)
At the changeover at 2-1 in the second set,
Djokovic got a back massage while seated on the sideline and also
was given pills by a doctor. He went on to lose that set and get
broken in the first game of the third before swinging the match back
in his favor.
It's the third time at a Grand Slam tournament this season that
Djokovic has been hampered after getting hurt during a match. At the
Australian Open in January, he tore a hamstring and was unable to
continue after one set of his semifinal against Alexander Zverev.
At Wimbledon in July, Djokovic took an awkward fall in the last game
of his quarterfinal victory, tweaking his groin muscle, and while he
stayed in the bracket there, he was clearly compromised during a
semifinal loss against eventual champion Jannik Sinner.
“It’s frustrating for me, honestly, that I’m not able to feel 100
percent always like I have for 20-plus years,” Djokovic said. “But
yeah, I guess the circumstances are quite different and I have to
get used to the fact that every match there’s something that might
happen as it has been the case this year pretty much every Slam.”
The U.S. Open was Djokovic's first tournament since then and he's
had some struggles in each of his first three matches.
“My team wants me to suffer on the court so I can get more minutes
of match play,” he joked.
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