Midnight matches may be a hit with fans, but they don't sit well with seasoned player Novak Djokovic, who expressed his displeasure over a late-night start to his US Open title defense on Monday. Despite a somewhat sluggish performance, Djokovic managed to defeat qualifier Radu Albot 6-2, 6-2, 6-4, advancing to the second round. The match, which lasted two hours and seven minutes, concluded at midnight at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The delay was due to Clara Burel's unexpected comeback victory over Sloane Stephens, who had initially led 6-0, 3-0 but ultimately lost in three sets.
Djokovic, aged 37, commented on the late start, stating, "I don't think that ageing helps really staying so late and playing very late. I can feel, you know, my batteries are low now. I'm shutting down." He had anticipated an earlier start, around 8:15 pm, but was surprised by the lengthy match between Stephens and Burel. Djokovic expressed his preference for starting earlier in night matches, hoping for more opportunities to do so in the future.
Despite the late finish, Djokovic acknowledged the special appeal of post-midnight finishes for fans. He returned to the court after winning a long-coveted Olympic gold medal in singles at Paris. Although he easily defeated Albot, Djokovic's lack of recent match practice was evident, with 10 double-faults and a high number of unforced errors.
Meanwhile, Coco Gauff had a smooth first-round victory, while Dominic Thiem played his final Grand Slam match due to a career-halting wrist injury. Other notable performances included Alexander Zverev's win and Taylor Fritz's quest to become the first American man to win a Grand Slam title since 2003.
