(CNN)Novak Djokovic started his pursuit of past astatine the US Open with triumph against Holger Rune connected Tuesday but said the ambiance connected tribunal was acold from ideal.
Organizers person welcomed capableness crowds backmost astatine Flushing Meadows this twelvemonth -- with fans aged 12 and supra requiring impervious of vaccination -- but not each seemed to privation the satellite No.1 to win.
Djokovic is bidding to go the archetypal antheral since Rod Laver successful 1969 to triumph the calendar expansive slam but said helium thought helium heard booing from the assemblage arsenic helium survived a scare to triumph 6-1 6-7 6-2 6-1.
"I didn't cognize what they were chanting honestly. I thought they were booing," helium told reporters aft the match.
"I don't know, it was not perfect ambiance for maine to archer you that. But I've been successful these peculiar atmospheres before, truthful I knew however to grip it.
"I mean, evidently you ever privation to person assemblage down you, but it's not ever possible.
"That's each I tin say. I mean, I don't know. I've been focusing connected myself and what I request to do. I conjecture I person to conscionable spot however it feels connected the tribunal and effort to support it together. That's each I tin do."
It's unclear whether fans were booing the Serbian oregon whether they were chanting "Rune" successful enactment of his Danish opponent.
Rune himself was confused by what helium initially thought was booing but said helium was blessed erstwhile helium realized galore were conscionable cheering connected the underdog.
"Actually, astatine 1 point, they were cheering for me; different point, they were booing. I was like, 'What is going on?'" helium told reporters.
"All of a sudden, aft the lucifer I heard they said 'Rune.' When I heard that, I was blessed due to the fact that I didn't recognize it successful the match. As I said, it was a brainsick crowd, the champion I've ever felt successful my life."
'I americium precise excited'
Djokovic has already won the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon this twelvemonth and needs conscionable 1 much triumph astatine the past slam of the twelvemonth to implicit the epic feat.
Triumph astatine the US Open would besides instrumentality the 34-year-old to 21 large titles, surpassing Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal who each person 20 majors to their name.
"I americium precise excited and I'm precise motivated, arsenic you tin imagine," helium told CNN Sport up of the tournament. "I americium precise overmuch alert of what's connected the line."
"Making past successful this athletics is of the top value to me, peculiarly astatine this signifier of my career. And playing and trying to triumph arsenic galore expansive slams is the highest precedence successful my tennis season."
The Serbian prima had been bidding to go the archetypal men's subordinate to triumph a 'Golden Slam' -- consisting of 4 expansive slams and an Olympic golden medal successful the aforesaid calendar twelvemonth -- but lost successful the semifinals to eventual golden medalist Alexander Zverev astatine Tokyo 2020.
He said helium had "ran retired of gas" astatine the Summer Olympics but is raring to spell again aft a break.
"Pressure is simply a privilege. I person grown and benignant of developed passim my vocation to truly grip unit successful the close way," helium added. "But thing is guaranteed.
"I similar to person adversity. I similar to person expectations and unit and, you know, successful a mode it draws the champion retired of me. So, yeah, hopefully, I tin person a fantastic mates of weeks."
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