US Open 2021: Novak Djokovic beats Tallon Griekspoor to reach third round – as it happened

That’s all for tonight. Thanks for following along with us and be sure to join us for more minute-by-minute coverage on Friday.

“I came out on court with the right intensity and the right focus,” says Djokovic during his on-court interview with ESPN’s Patrick McEnroe. “It was definitely a better performaance from my side than a couple of nights ago. Again, great atmosphere. It’s always fun playing in front of New York fans in the night session. You guys bring a lot of energy to us and I think we’ve said this before but we can’t take these moments for granted. The last 15 months have been very difficult for everyone on this planet. For us in tennis, we haven’t had too many tournaments where we’ve played in front of a crowd, so it’s nice to have you back.”

He continues: “It’s a great feeling being on the court. I’m as motivated as ever to do well. I’m not the only player who wants to go deep in the tournament. Hopefully, (I’ll) get my hands on the trophy. That’s why I’m here. I’m trying to be the best I can be every single day. Let’s see what happpens.”

Asked whether the chase for the calendar-year grand slam is more taxing physically or mentally, Djokovic tips the latter.

“Probabaly it’s more mental and emotional, really,” he says. “Physically, I feel great. I can go a couple of hours every day. I don’t mind being on the court for a long time. Actually the longer the match goes, I feel I have more chances to win against anybody in best of five. So it’s really more about handling everything that is happening off the court, all the expectations. But as I’ve said, (it’s) trying to take it moment by moment, really stay in the present moment, and get the most out of it.”

Third set: Djokovic 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 Griekspoor

Djokovic pounds a 121mph ace out wide on match point and it’s over! The top seed has finished off Griekspoor in a brisk 99 minutes to advance to the third round of the US Open and a date with Kei Nishikori, who rallied from a break down in the fifth set for a 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-7 (5), 2-6, 6-3 win over Mackenzie McDonald earlier tonight.

Djokovic breaks in seventh game of third set!

Third set: *Djokovic 6-2, 6-3, 5-2 Griekspoor (*denotes next server)

Griekspoor again goes down love-40. This time he saves the first with a 117mph ace and the second with a 121mph service winner, but mishits a volley on the third. That should do it. Djokovic is up a double break and will serve for the match after the changeover.

Third set: Djokovic 6-2, 6-3, 4-2 Griekspoor* (*denotes next server)

Djokovic falls behind love-40 on his serve but brushes aside all three of them for deuce. Griekspoor stands behind the baseline with his hands on his hips, disappointed. From there Djokovic hits a pair of winners to hold serve and consolidate the break.

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Bianca Andreescu, who captured the US Open title on her main-draw debut two years ago only to withdraw from last year’s tournament due to injury, has just finished off a 6-4, 6-4 win over Lauren Davis to reach the third round.

The 20-year-old Canadian was down a break in the second set, but managed to break back twice (including in the final game) to improve her lifetime record at Flushing Meadows to a perfect nine wins from nine.

Djokovic breaks in fifth game of third set!

Third set: *Djokovic 6-2, 6-3, 3-2 Griekspoor (*denotes next server)

Griekspoor quickly falls behind love-40 on his serve and it’s gut-check time for the Dutchman. Three break-point chances for Djokovic and he needs only one: Griekspoor misfires on a backhand from behind the baseline to gift his opponent the break at love.

Third set: Djokovic 6-2, 6-3, 2-2 Griekspoor* (*denotes next server)

Djokovic crushes a 123mph ace out wide to cap another straightforward hold of serve. That’s his 12th ace of the night.

Third set: *Djokovic 6-2, 6-3, 1-2 Griekspoor (*denotes next server)

Djokovic pushed it to deuce on Griekspoor’s serve, but the youngster follows with a 124mph ace down the middle and backhand winner at the net to escape with the hold. Elsewhere, the American Shelby Rogers, a US Open quarter-finalist a year ago, is through to the third round after a 7-5, 6-2 win over Sorana Cirstea in 1hr 36min.

Third set: Djokovic 6-2, 6-3, 1-1 Griekspoor* (*denotes next server)

Another stress-free hold for Djokovic, who caps the hold with his 11th ace. Elsewhere on the grounds, 2014 US Open runner-up Kei Nishikori has rallied from a break down in the fifth set for a 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-7 (5), 2-6, 6-3 win over the homestanding Mackenzie McDonald. And over on Armstrong, Bianca Andreescu has broken back in the second set against Lauren Davis and is serving at 6-4, 3-3.

Third set: *Djokovic 6-2, 6-3, 0-1 Griekspoor (*denotes next server)

Griekspoor falls behind love-15 and 15-30 on his serve, but steadies himself and serves out the game. Now Djokovic is speaking with the chair umpire about the fans he says are yelling out during his points. The umpire listens but doesn’t issue any kind of warning over the public-address system.

Second set: Djokovic 6-2, 6-3 Griekspoor

And Djokovic closes it out in style, cracking his ninth and 10th aces while serving out the second set. This one feels all but a handshake away.

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Djokovic breaks in eighth game of second set!

Second set: *Djokovic 6-2, 5-3 Griekspoor (*denotes next server)

If Djokovic was angry, he’s taking it out on his opponent. The top seed quickly breaks Griekspoor and will serve for a two-sets-to-none lead.

Griekspoor breaks in seventh game of second set!

Second set: Djokovic 6-2, 4-3 Griekspoor* (*denotes next server)

With Djokovic serving at 30-all, he misses on an overhand volley and then stares down a couple of fans who it seems made some noise during the point. Whatever it was, he doesn’t look happy! That gives Griekspoor his first break-point chance of the night at the hour mark and he’s able to convert it when Djokovic misses a routine backhand from the baseline. Almost out of nowhere, we’re back on serve in the second set.

Second set: *Djokovic 6-2, 4-2 Griekspoor (*denotes next server)

Griekspoor holds but still trails by a break in the season. On Armstrong, Andreescu has just double-faulted on break point to fall behind in the second set after taking the first.

Second set: Djokovic 6-2, 4-1 Griekspoor* (*denotes next server)

Djokovic rolls through another service game, getting a couple of easy points with his seventh and eighth aces of the match. It’s all one-way traffic here on Ashe. Elsewhere, No 13 seed Jannik Sinner has just put the finishing touches on a 6-3, 7-6 (2), 6-7 (6), 6-4 win over Zachary Svajda of the United States on Court 10.

Second set: *Djokovic 6-2, 3-1 Griekspoor (*denotes next server)

Griekspoor holds to get on the board in the second set. Meanwhile on Armstrong, Biancu Andreescu has taken the opening set from the American Lauren Davis.

Second set: Djokovic 6-2, 3-0 Griekspoor* (*denotes next server)

Djokovic backs up with the break with another elementary hold of serve. Griekspoor has made twice as many unforced errors (16) as winners (eight).

Djokovic breaks in second game of second set!

Second set: *Djokovic 6-2, 2-0 Griekspoor (*denotes next server)

Griekspoor gets it to 30-15 on his serve with his second and third aces of the night, but follows with a couple of unforced errors from the baseline to go break point down. He saves it, but moments later faces another and this time Djokovic converts it. More errors are starting to creep into the Dutchman’s game.

Second set: Djokovic 6-2, 1-0 Griekspoor* (*denotes next server)

Djokovic races out to 40-love, makes his second double fault of the night, then holds behind another booming serve. Griekspoor hasn’t shown he’s been able to do much of anything to trouble the Serb on his serve.

First set: Djokovic 6-2 Griekspoor

Serving at 15-love, Griekspoor loses three straight points including a double fault to hand Djokovic a couple of set points. He saves the first with a big serve to the body that Djokovic can’t return into the court, but Djokovic converts the second with a forehand volley at the net to settle a 16-shot exchange. First set to the world No 1 in 31 minutes.

First set: Djokovic 5-2 Griekspoor* (*denotes next server)

Another straightforward hold for Djokovic, who’s winning 91% of his first-serve points. Griekspoor will serve to stay in the first set after the change of ends.

First set: *Djokovic 4-2 Griekspoor (*denotes next server)

That’s more like it. Griekspoor breezes through a service game for the first time tonight, cracking his first ace of the match to put a button on it.

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First set: Djokovic 4-1 Griekspoor* (*denotes next server)

Djokovic consolidates the break with another love hold, capping it with a 121mph ace. He’s won 10 straight points on his serve.

Djokovic breaks in fourth game of first set!

First set: *Djokovic 3-1 Griekspoor (*denotes next server)

Another uncomfortable service game for Griekspoor, who’s makes a couple of unforced errors off the forehand for 30-all. On the next point, a 24-shot rally breaks out than ends when Djokovic comes to net for a forehand volley winner. The first break-point chance of the night for either player and Djokovic coolly converts it to draw first blood.

First set: Djokovic 2-1 Griekspoor* (*denotes next server)

That was quick. Djokovic goes 98mph ace out wide, 121mph unreturnable, 124mph ace down the middle then comes to net to cap the love hold with an overhand forehand volley, getting all four first serves in along the way.

First set: *Djokovic 1-1 Griekspoor (*denotes next server)

Griekspoor pounded 30 aces in his first-round win including one that clocked in at 149mph. He’ll need a similar effort tonight if he hopes to spring the upset. The Dutchman falls behind love-15, then 15-30, but pushes it to deuce. It’s a bit of a handful, but he holds while avoiding a break point chance in a 10-point opening service game.

First set: Djokovic 1-0 Griekspoor* (*denotes next server)

Djokovic will serve to start and quickly falls behind love-15 after mishitting a forehand from behind the baseline. He follows with a 118mph ace to the body and a 102mph service winner out wide, but then double-faults for 30-all. From there he cracks an unreturnable serve, then hits a forehand volley winner on the next point to hold in his opening service game.

The biggest upset of the tournament so far happened about an hour ago. The American pair of Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow, a wild card in the men’s doubles, won 6-2, 7-5 over top seeds and newly minted Olympic gold medalists Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic.

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Tomorrow’s order of play has arrived. Here’s what’s on tap for the biggest courts on Friday:

Arthur Ashe Stadium

Day session (12pm local time)

V Azarenka (BLR) [18] v G Muguruza (ESP) [9]
C Alcaraz (ESP) v S Tsitsipas (GRE) [3]

Night session (7pm local time)

L Fernandez (CAN) v N Osaka (JPN) [3]
A Rublev (RUS) [5] v F Tiafoe (USA)

Louis Armstrong Stadium

Day session (11am local time)

E Rybakina (KAZ) [19] v S Halep (ROU) [12]
P Andujar (ESP) v D Medvedev (RUS) [2]
A Kerber (GER) [16] v S Stephens (USA)

Night session (7pm local time)

Hello and welcome to Flushing Meadows for tonight’s second-round match between Novak Djokovic and Tallon Griekspoor. The best player in the world and top seed in the men’s draw is back in Arthur Ashe Stadium as he continues his quest for a record-setting 21st major championship and the first calendar-year grand slam by a men’s player in more than five decades. Standing in his way tonight is Griekspoor, the world No 121 from the Netherlands who this time last week thought he’d have to miss the season-ending grand slam due to visa issues. History would favor Djokovic: he’s 52-1 at major tournaments against opponents ranked outside the top 100, including 12-0 at the US Open, and he’s never lost before the third round in Queens.

The players should be on court for their warm-up in the next 15 minutes or so.

Bryan will be here shortly. In the meantime here’s Tumaini Carayol’s report off Emma Raducanu’s win during today’s day session.