Novak Djokovic advanced to a record-breaking 64th Grand Slam quarterfinal on Sunday night, defeating qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 in the fourth round of the US Open.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion started strong, racing to a 4-0 lead in the opening set. However, after hitting a sharp angled volley to go up 30-love, Djokovic appeared to experience neck discomfort, grabbing at the back of his neck and rotating his head.
Despite briefly losing momentum—dropping two games in a row—Djokovic quickly regained control. The 144th-ranked Struff, who was coming off an upset win over Frances Tiafoe and was aiming for his first major quarterfinal, couldn’t keep pace.
Djokovic received on-court treatment for his neck and right shoulder during the set break, including massages on both his neck and forearm. However, his performance remained dominant throughout, showing little sign of physical limitation. This isn’t the first time Djokovic has needed medical attention during this tournament; he has previously dealt with blisters and a lower-back issue earlier in the week.
With this win, Djokovic improves his career record to 8-0 against Struff and now turns his attention to a quarterfinal clash with American No. 4 seed Taylor Fritz. Fritz, last year’s US Open runner-up, defeated No. 21 seed Tomas Machac 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 earlier on Sunday to reach the final eight.
Djokovic, 38, is chasing his fifth US Open title, having last lifted the trophy in New York in 2023.
