Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the US Open match.
The second-round US Open match should be another step for Novak Djokovic as he looks to reaffirm his status as the tournament’s leading favourite. His opponent is the young American Zachary Svajda, who is only beginning his journey at Grand Slam level.
Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic opened the tournament with a confident win over Learner Tien (6:1, 7:6, 6:2), again showing that, even at 38, he remains a formidable presence on court. He won 70% of his service points and controlled the rallies, although the second set became tight. He goes into this meeting with Zachary Svajda in good order, but he can lose focus against younger opponents; he has dropped at least one set in four of his last five matches against under‑23 players.
Zachary Svajda
Zachary Svajda came through Zsombor Piros (6:4, 6:2, 7:5), firing 11 aces and winning 80% of his first‑serve points. On hard courts, he has won 12 of his last 14 matches, including a win over Miomir Kecmanović in Washington. This will be Svajda’s first meeting with Novak Djokovic, but he has already shown he can compete on hard courts. In 23 of 29 matches on this surface in 2025, Zachary has taken at least one set.
Novak Djokovic vs Zachary Svajda Prediction
Novak Djokovic should win and move through the draw, but Zachary Svajda is likely to claim enough games. The young American should play with freedom, and Novak Djokovic does not always hit top gear straight away. We are backing Total Over 30.5 games.
