While a 6-1 7-6 (3) 6-2 scoreline may appear routine, Djokovic looked anything but comfortable in the closing stages of a second set which lasted 82 minutes.<\/p>\n
The 38-year-old, his black shirt plastered to him with sweat, saved a set point and a series of gruelling rallies in the tie-break left him gasping for air.<\/p>\n
Djokovic also took a medical timeout at the end of the set for treatment to blisters on his foot but ultimately used his experience to set up a second-round clash with another American, Zachary Svajda.<\/p>\n
\u201cI started great,\u201d said the seventh seed. \u201cJust over 20 minutes, first set, I felt really good. Then some long games to start the second set, and then I started to feel really (bad) \u2013 I don\u2019t know why. I really was surprised how bad I was feeling in the second physically.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had long exchanges, but also I dropped my level and made a lot of unforced errors and got him back into the match. I\u2019m glad that I kind of reset myself after second set. And the third set was OK to finish up the match.<\/p>\n
\u201cGood thing, two days off now. But it\u2019s slightly a concern. I don\u2019t have any injury or anything. I just struggled a lot to stay in long exchanges and recover after points.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Djokovic](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/GettyImages-2231904129.jpeg\")
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open image in gallery<\/p>\n
Djokovic and Tien at the net (Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Djokovic was playing his first match since losing to Jannik Sinner<\/a> in the semi-finals of Wimbledon and initially looked sharp against an opponent nearly 20 years his junior.<\/p>\n Tien announced his talent to the world at the Australian Open in January with a run to the fourth round and in the second set he began to match Djokovic from the baseline.<\/p>\n