Leading up to his initial round triumph, Djokovic had been inactive ever since his loss to Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon semi-finals during the beginning of July.
“I am optimistic that as I advance further in the competition, my confidence in my performance will grow,” Djokovic stated.
“It’s fairly apparent that my physical condition has shifted somewhat in the last few years.
“I am experiencing physical exhaustion more rapidly than I once did, so I need to address it and engage in extensive recovery measures to maintain my capacity to perform at the pinnacle of my abilities.”
Competing during the morning session at Arthur Ashe Stadium – an unusual time slot for a competitor accustomed to being the headline act in the tournament’s highly sought-after evening session – Djokovic appeared somewhat unsettled under the intense sunlight.
The seventh-seeded player appeared drained during his opening-round encounter and appeared to be experiencing similar issues early on when facing Svajda, who was representing the home nation.
The world’s 145th-ranked player gained considerable attention before the match by sharing a video expressing his excitement about competing against Djokovic, but he exhibited no indication of feeling intimidated, maintaining his composure to narrowly secure the first set.
But Djokovic, as is often the case, responded without delay, securing 11 of the last 12 games as Svajda struggled with muscle cramps.
Earlier, 21st seed Tomas Machac defeated emerging Brazilian talent Joao Fonseca with scores of 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 6-3.
Fonseca, the 19-year-old supported by an enthusiastic group of supporters on the Grandstand court, had a set point in the initial set, but Machac remained composed to ultimately prevail.
His Czech counterpart and 20th seed Jiri Lehecka also advanced with a 3-6 6-0 6-2 6-4 victory over Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry.
