Novak Djokovic admitted he is worried about his physical condition after battling through a painful blister to reach the second round of the US Open.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion made a winning return to Flushing Meadows on Sunday night, defeating American teenager Learner Tien 6-1, 7-6, 6-2.
But his straight-sets victory was far from routine, with Djokovic requiring medical attention for a gruesome blister on his foot that left fans wincing.
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The former world No 1 looked in full control early on, racing through the first set in just over 20 minutes.
Novak Djokovic admitted he is worried about his physical condition after battling through a painful blister to reach the second round of the US Open
|REUTERS
Yet the rhythm of the match shifted in the second when long baseline rallies began to take their toll.
Between sets, the Serb called for a physio, who treated what television cameras later revealed to be a large flap of loose skin on his big toe.
The close-up images quickly went viral, with some viewers horrified by the severity of the blister and others criticising broadcasters for showing it in such detail.
“That Djokovic foot did not look pretty,” one fan wrote on social media, while another added: “The blister on Djokovic’s big toe is horrific. It’s not even a blister—it’s a one-square-inch flap of skin just hanging there.”
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Others pointed to Djokovic’s lack of recent match play as a possible cause.
The 38-year-old had not featured on tour since his Wimbledon semi-final defeat to Carlos Alcaraz on July 11, leaving him without competitive singles action for nearly six weeks before his US Open opener.
Despite the discomfort, Djokovic steadied himself after dropping his level midway through the match.
He edged the second set in a tie-break before reasserting his authority in the third, wrapping up victory in just over two hours.
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I did not need to see the trainer rip the band aid off Djokovic toe and reveal this 👇🏻
— Daniel Benjamin Martin (@BabyBiird) August 25, 2025
#USOpen pic.twitter.com/oUQ2KKCgl2
Speaking afterwards, Djokovic dismissed any suggestion that the blister itself would derail his campaign but admitted to being unsettled by how drained he felt during longer exchanges.
“I started great, just over 20 minutes, first set, I felt really good,” he said.
“Then some long games to start the second set, I really was surprised how bad I was feeling in the second physically.
“We had long exchanges, but also, I kind of dropped my level and made a lot of unforced errors and kind of got him back into the match. Good thing, two days off now, but it’s slightly a concern.
“I don’t have any injury or anything. I just struggled a lot to stay in long exchanges and recover after points.”
Djokovic now has the benefit of two rest days before his second-round match.
His next opponent is Zachary Svajda, who is also American.
The 22-year-old booked his place in the second round with a 6-4, 6-2, 7-5 victory over Zsombor Piros.
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Djokovic has won the US Open four times over the years.
His first triumph came back in 2011, with his last coming in 2023.