US Open: Novak Djokovic battles through toe blister; Philippines' Alexandra Eala stages historic rally
- - US Open: Novak Djokovic battles through toe blister; Philippines' Alexandra Eala stages historic rally
Jason OwensAugust 24, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Novak Djokovic's game was much improved after he had work done on his toe in between the second and third sets. (CHARLY TRIBALLEAU via Getty Images)
The new two-day break after Day 1 at the US Open may be just what Novak Djokovic needs.
Djokovic largely cruised to a 6-1, 7-6, 6-2 win over 19-year-old American Learner Tien on Sunday night to advance to the second round. But Djokovic struggled mid-match as Tien pushed him to a second-set tie break that Djokovic won, 7-3.
Djokovic, the No. 7 seed, appeared to be in pain throughout the second set and didn't seem to be moving at his best. During the break between sets, he got work on his right big toe from an athletic trainer. ESPN cameras zoomed in on his toe to reveal a nasty blister (look here at your own risk.)
Whatever his trainer did appeared to work. Tien broke Djokovic's first serve of the third set but from there, the 24-time Grand Slam champion won five straight games before securing the 6-2 win for the match.
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Now Djokovic will have two days off instead of the customary one before his second-round match against American Zachary Svajda. That's because of a new format at the US Open in which play started Sunday instead of Monday. The earlier start means an extra day off between opening rounds. Djokovic won't play again until Wednesday.
If Djokovic is still feeling the effects of his blister, the extra day of rest could end up being welcome, indeed.
Djokovic, who improved to 19-0 in first-round matches at the US Open, wasn't asked about his toe in a post-match interview on the court. But he acknowledged that he wasn't at his best in the second set.
"I think the first set was just over 20 minutes, the second set was an hour and 20 minutes," Djokovic said. ... "I think it was key for me to really hold my nerves in the second set and really, clinch the second set in the tiebreak.
"After that, I started feeling a little bit better, and I ended the match in a good fashion."
Filipina Alexandra Eala makes dramatic history
The first opening Sunday at the US Open didn't produce much in terms of upsets during the daytime session. But the seeded upset of the afternoon was remarkable.
Unranked Alexandra Eala of the Philippines stunned No. 14 seed Clara Tauson of Denmark via a dramatic third-set rally from a 5-1 deficit. She then secured the 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 win with a 13-11 tiebreak victory.
With the win, Eala, 20, became the first player from the Philippines to win a main draw match at a Grand Slam tournament since the onset of the Open era in 1968.
When she'd secured the win, Eala fell onto her back with her hands on her face. An appreciative US Open crowd roared in approval and gave her a standing ovation. Eala responded by skipping on the court and pumping her fists in the air.
It's your moment Alexandra Eala! pic.twitter.com/QV3rUmeAqb
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 24, 2025
"It was so so difficult," Eala said in her post-match interview. … "I’m so happy that I was able to dig deep. I was just thinking to push the limit, physically, mentally, this was it.
"It's so special. ... To be Filipino is something I take so much pride in. ... I'm always in the mood for creating more history. This match is one for the books for me."
Source: “AOL Sports”
