A Special Note Inside

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Ashe was one of those evenings that remind you why this sport holds us captive. The lights, the crowd, the tension of a Grand Slam quarterfinal and in the middle of it all, Novak Djokovic, still defying time.

Amidst the day session at the US Open, we wanted to step back and share a fan’s perspective on something the tennis world is almost guilty of taking for granted: the way Novak, at 38, continues to make Grand Slam semifinals feel routine. This is exactly why Break Point was started—to bring the emotions and fandom of the sport alive, not just the numbers on the scoreboard.

Today’s edition comes with that lens. Our guest editor is a lifelong tennis fan who began as a tennis writer, went on to manage content teams, and now leads our newsletters at EssentiallySports. But above all, he remains what he was on day one: a fan who lives and breathes the sport. And from his seat inside Ashe last night, here’s how it felt to watch Djokovic up close.

At 38, Novak Djokovic walks onto the court as he is rewriting time.

Every serve, every stretch, every sliding forehand is about defiance, a refusal to let the years dictate when greatness must bow out. His records already speak for themselves. What makes him compelling now is how he keeps summoning the fight, the grit, and the will to endure.

Yet greatness is never spotless. The New York crowd, hungry for a local hero, rallied behind Taylor Fritz. Djokovic, under the weight of expectation, snapped at the umpire, frustration spilling over. For a brief moment, he was human, vulnerable. But then, just as quickly, he reminded us why he stands apart. With the same racket that pointed at the chair, he painted points with impossible defense and ruthless attack. Fritz pushed harder than the scoreline tells; the American deserved more than polite applause. But Djokovic, even below his physical best, walked off with another Slam semifinal in his pocket.

The whispers already turn to Carlos Alcaraz, the heir apparent and maybe the one who could end Djokovic’s run. He may lose, and at 38 that wouldn’t surprise anyone. But that’s missing the point. The extraordinary thing is how making Slam semifinals at this age has become normal. It shouldn’t be, but with Djokovic it is. Nights like this feel routine, yet they are anything but. Because one day they will end. One day, this won’t be expected anymore. That’s why moments like these matter.

And that’s where tennis finds itself today balancing two truths at once. The sport craves change, the energy around Alcaraz and Sinner, the cheer for players like Fritz who are trying their best on nights like these. But it still can’t look away from Djokovic. We root for the future while being hypnotized by the present, caught between anticipation and admiration.

Being courtside reminded me why tennis is so captivating. The tension in every point, the crowd reactions, the little moments of frustration and brilliance—you feel everything in a way that highlights the human side of the sport. Last night was about seeing someone continue to defy expectations while staying in the moment. And for fans, that’s what makes it unforgettable.