Novak Djokovic fell in his first match in the United States since 2021, losing in doubles Tuesday in the Western & Southern Open. (More Tennis News)
Djokovic and Nikola Cacic lost 6-4, 6-2 to Jami♕e Murray and Michael Venus in the Serbian star’s return to the country after missing events💦 because of COVID-19 vaccine restrictions.
Djo🌟kovic was playing his first competitive match since falling to top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final.
The winner of a record 23 Grand Slam singles titles, Djokovic is set to open singles play Wednesday nigh꧂t against Alejandro Dav🐻idovich Fokina.
Alcaraz faced Australian qualifier Jordan Thompson in a late match. The defending U.S. Open champion was in position to become t🌠he first ATP player to reach 50 wins this 🍨season.
In women’s play, former U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens reached the third round for the first time since 2019 with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory ove🍷r sixth-seeded defending tournament champion Caroline Garcia.
Stephens, who won in New York in 2017, improved to 2-8 in her last 10 matches against top-10 players. Both of the wins ha﷽ve been against Garcia.
﷽Fifth-seeded Ons Jabeur, in her first match since losing the Wimbledon final, overcame a 5-1 deficit in the third set to top Anhelina Kalinina 6-3, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (2).
