Google News Laslo Djere blasts Novak Djokovic with a shot that blew up the crowd!
by LORENZO CIOTTI
Laslo Djere surprised the crowd at the US Open 2023, on the Arthur Ashe Stadium overnight, driving Novak Djokovic crazy with a sensational shot. In a super and really courageous performance, the Serbian found himself two sets ahead against countryman Novak Djokovic, before slowly giving way to the more experienced Belgrade tennis player in distance.
Without fear, the 28-year-old put Nole in great difficulty in the first sets and was good at exploiting the opportunities he had available. One of the most beautiful exchanges of the match was won by Senta's native, who left everyone speechless.
The world number 2, after a few deep shots, was called to the net and tried to close the point with a forehand fan: Djere, with a passerby near the line, overtook his opponent and didn't allow him to reply. Big applause for the Serbian, who was exalted in that point, despite his rival starting to recover dangerously in the score.
One of the best career performances for Laslo Djere. Djokovic himself confirmed in the press conference: "Honestly, I think he played in a fantastic way. I've never seen him play like this before. He was very concentrated, he felt the ball very well and was tactically prepared." It took 3 hours and 48 minutes for Nole to win the day and pass to the round of 16: now a challenge awaits him, on simple paper, against the Croatian Borna Gojo.
Djere, on the other hand, leaves the tournament, happy to have given his best and to have gone one step away from the feat. Here is the video published by the tournament organizers on Twitter and also shared by Tennis TV:
SHOT OF THE NIGHT 😱
🎥 - @usopen #usopen
pic.twitter.com/0NeW87tSha — Tennis TV (@TennisTV) September 2, 2023
The match
No one would have imagined 3 hours and 48 minutes of battle.
Novak Djokovic risked a lot against Laslo Djere, who forced him to overcome himself to replace a deficit that had become quite heavy. Sensing the importance of the match, the number 32 seed on the draw didn't tremble and didn't let Nole scare him, on the contrary he began to express a spatial level of tennis.
Without fear, the 28-year-old annulled the three break points in total allowed and found the twist to break his rival's serve, obtaining the first set 6-4. In the second set, Djere's drop did not arrive as some might have imagined: Senta's player continued to always put the ball on the court, even when he was in difficulty and on the defensive, and was able to win almost all the long rallies .
The Serbian champion, a little surprised, was unable to react and found himself conceding even the second set for 6-4, this time without ever having a break opportunity. From the third set Laslo began to feel the pressure of being ahead 2-0, while still maintaining a good game performance on the court.
However, the number 2 in the world has grown from every point of view and has put his opponent in difficulty. The climb started off on the right foot with a clear 6-1, repeated in the following partial. With the match in balance, the 36-year-old from Belgrade was able to take the lead of the set immediately, getting the break in the opening.
Djokovic at that point defended himself well in his rounds of service, up to 5-3 in which he contained Djere's last comeback attempts (cancelled a ball of the counter-break), before closing the decisive set 6-3 around at 7:30 Italian time. In the round of 16 he will challenge Borna Gojo, who clearly defeated Vesely.