Watch: Djokovic Faces Djere Showdown, Gauff Shines Under US Open Lights

Novak Djokovic is set to face fellow Serbian Laslo Djere on Wednesday as he continues his quest for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam singles title at the US Open. Djere, ranked 109th in the world, was the only player to take a set off Djokovic at last year’s tournament, winning the first two sets in their third-round match before Djokovic mounted a comeback, ultimately securing his 24th major title, tying Margaret Court for the most all-time.

Djokovic, fresh from an emotional victory at the Paris Olympics, headlined the night session at Arthur Ashe Stadium, which began with defending women’s champion Coco Gauff defeating 37-year-old Tatjana Maria 6-4, 6-0.

Gauff, 20, has had an inconsistent season since winning her first major title in New York. Despite her struggles with serving—landing only 44 percent of her first serves and committing nine double faults—Maria, ranked 99th, couldn’t capitalize, and Gauff won the last seven games to clinch the match. “Overall, I think I played well,” Gauff said. “If I had served better, that first set would have been much easier.”

Djokovic, 37, joked that while he enjoys the energy of night sessions, he could use an earlier bedtime. However, he might appreciate avoiding the heat of the day, which led tournament organizers to implement the extreme weather rule, allowing mid-match breaks for distressed players in long matches.

Aryna Sabalenka, the Australian Open champion and last year’s runner-up to Gauff, swiftly defeated Italian Lucia Bronzetti 6-3, 6-1 in just an hour. The world number two from Belarus, aiming to become the first woman since Angelique Kerber in 2016 to win both hard court Grand Slam titles in the same year, focused on keeping the match short. “I told myself to stay focused from the first point to the last and ensure I wouldn’t be out there for hours,” Sabalenka said.

Paris Olympics gold medallist and seventh seed Zheng Qinwen had a tougher time, rallying from a set down for the second consecutive match to defeat Russian Erika Andreeva 6-7 (3/7), 6-1, 6-2, securing her spot in the third round.

In a significant upset, eighth-seeded Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova was eliminated by Romanian qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse, who won 6-4, 7-5.

On the men’s side, fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev of Germany advanced with a 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-1 win over France’s Alexandre Muller. “He played some amazing tennis, especially at the end of the second set,” Zverev said. “I’m happy to have won in three sets and to get some rest because it’s very hot and challenging conditions.”

Zverev’s next opponent is Argentina’s Tomas Etcheverry, who battled the heat during his marathon 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 victory over compatriot Francisco Cerundolo. Etcheverry, who served 23 aces, struggled with the extreme conditions, even vomiting on court. “The conditions were very tough,” Etcheverry said. “The temperature was 38 degrees, and it felt even hotter on the court. I tried to stay hydrated, but I overdid it, which led to vomiting. It’s dangerous, not just for the players, but also for the spectators.”

Sixth-seeded Russian Andrey Rublev and Czech Jiri Lehecka both endured five-set matches to reach the third round. Rublev, a four-time US Open quarter-finalist, overcame France’s Arthur Rinderknech 4-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2, while Lehecka edged out American Mitchell Krueger 6-7 (5/7), 0-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5.

Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk struggled through a 7-6 (12/10), 6-1 win over Britain’s Harriet Dart, barely able to celebrate as she applied ice packs to her head and neck after the match.