Novak Djokovic did not need to be near his vintage best to comfortably win his first-round match against Radu Albot on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Djokovic hopes to secure an unprecedented 25th major title at Flushing Meadows. That would see him break Margaret Court's record of 24 and become the first player in history to obtain that many Grand Slams.
Some have wondered whether the Serbian is still motivated to compete for big titles after he claimed an Olympic gold medal at the Paris Olympics, which was his biggest goal for 2024.
In his press conference before the tournament began, Djokovic insisted he still has the drive. It would be foolish of anyone to argue with him after everything he has achieved in the sport.
The 37-year-old's quest to win a 25th major has been somewhat overshadowed by news that Jannik Sinner tested positive for a banned substance, although he was cleared of wrongdoing.
When asked about Sinner's case, Djokovic gave an honest assessment. He said he understood why some players felt aggrieved and agreed there were flaws in the system. But he also did not criticize Sinner in any way.
Playing the second match on Arthur Ashe Stadium gave the Serbian a chance to let his tennis do the talking, and that is precisely what he did in his first meeting with the 34-year-old Radu Albot.
The underdog started strongly, comfortably holding his opening two service games. Djokovic uncharacteristically missed some returns that were not difficult by his lofty standards.
However, the former world No. 1 quickly settled into the match after that. Albot struggled to get free points on his serve and could not fight off the pressure that Djokovic piled on him for the rest of the set.
The defending champion reeled off four games in a row to take the set 6-2. Despite that, Djokovic looked visibly annoyed by some of his unforced errors, showing the impeccable standards he always has.
There was little change in the second set. The one difference was that the Moldovan managed to break his illustrious opponent's serve in the fourth game, which Djokovic was visibly annoyed by.
Unfortunately for Albot, Djokovic was even more dominant on return. He broke the 34-year-old's serve on three occasions, meaning he took the set 6-2 once again, leaving him cruising.
The third set was the most competitive of the match. Backed by a vociferous coach and team, he played some great shots for the fans to enjoy, also helping Djokovic get into a rhythm for the rest of the tournament.
That did not mean he came close to winning the set, though. The Serbian got the one break he needed, closing the match without any issues to seal a 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 triumph.
Djokovic knows he can play better and will need to if he reaches the latter stages. However, this was still a decent start, and his serve and groundstrokes should improve as the event progresses.
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