NEW YORK — Defending US Open champion Novak Djokovic kept his bid for a record 25^th Grand Slam title on track on Wednesday after fellow Serb Laslo Djere retired injured while trailing 6-4 6-4 2-0 in their second-round match.

Mr. Djokovic had needed five sets to get past Mr. Djere in the third round a year ago and it looked as though Arthur Ashe Stadium would see another epic clash between the two as Mr. Djere went up a break in the second set.

But the unseeded Serb appeared to pick up an injury midway through the set and Mr. Djokovic went on to book a third-round meeting with Australian Alexei Popyrin.

“It’s not what we want. It’s not what the crowd wants,” Mr. Djokovic said. “It should have been his second set, honestly.”

Four-time winner Mr. Djokovic, who had looked rusty in his opening round match, appeared to struggle in the sweltering conditions that tested competitors all day at Flushing Meadows, wrapping himself in ice towels on the changeovers.

Mr. Djokovic broke Mr. Djere to love in the 10^th game of a tightly fought first set, benefiting from a series of unforced errors by his opponent.

The second seed had to work harder to hold serve in the opening game of the next set, fending off two break points, and then shouted in frustration as he let a break point opportunity slip through his fingers in the next game.

Mr. Djere looked to have the momentum as he broke his opponent in the third game of the second set and held serve in the next with a mighty ace.

But the evening fell apart for Mr. Djere when he winced after a serve in the eighth game and Mr. Djokovic converted a break point. Mr. Djere, who missed part of the season after undergoing elbow surgery in April,appeared to struggle with his mobility from there and took a medical timeout after the ninth game, lying on the court as a physio massaged his abdomen and lower back.

Mr. Djokovic broke again in the 10^th and Mr. Djere tried to fight on before retiring just seven minutes into the third set.

“He obviously had an injury that took him out of the tour for some time and he’s struggling to come back physically to his level,” said Mr. Djokovic. — Reuters

NEW YORK — Defending champion Coco Gauff and 12^th seed Taylor Fritz capped a terrific day at Flushing Meadows for the home hopes, as several Americans moved onto the US Open third round.

Ms. Gauff cleaned up early mistakes to beat unseeded German Tatjana Maria 6-4 6-0, setting up a meeting with 2019 semi-finalist Elina Svitolina of Ukraine following her victory at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Mr. Fritz closed out the action on Louis Armstrong Stadium with a convincing 6-3 7-6(1) 6-1 defeat of Italian Matteo Berrettini and was delighted with his level after a nervy opener against Camilo Ugo Carabelli.

Big-hitting Frances Tiafoe and former finalist Madison Keys did their bit to boost the American charge earlier in the day.

Mr. Tiafoe, who reached the New York semifinals in 2022 and this year was a runner-up in his final tune-up event, was in complete control when Kazakhstan’s Alexander Shevchenko retired at 6-4 6-1 1-0.

“Happy to get it done. Hate to win it that way but overall I thought I actually played pretty well today,” Mr. Tiafoe said after a stress-free victory during which he changed shirts five times.

He next plays 21-year-old compatriot Ben Shelton, who electrified the home crowds last year with a run to the semifinals and had no problem getting past Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3 6-4 6-4 at the Grandstand.

The left-handed Mr. Shelton sent over 17 aces and walloped  Mr. Bautista Agut with 60 winners, feeding off the energy of the boisterous home crowd amid stifling heat.

Mr. Shelton eliminated Mr. Tiafoe in straight sets in the quarterfinal a year ago and promised a “popcorn-type match” when the two meet again.

“You guys made this draw so it’s exciting,” Mr. Shelton said.

Ms. Keys, making her 13^th main-draw appearance at the U.S. Open, beat Australia’s Maya Joint 6-4 6-0, striking first when she converted on her third break-point opportunity for a 4-3 lead en route to wrapping up the opening set on her serve.

The 29-year-old American opened the second with another break and sprinted to the finish line in 62 minutes. “After the first set I feel like I made a few adjustments on my returns just to put a little bit more pressure on her,” said Ms. Keys, who retired from her two previous tournaments at Wimbledon and Toronto.

“And I felt like once I was able to get a little bit out ahead I really just ran with the moment and was able to close it out really well.”

Up next for Ms. Keys, who lost to fellow American Sloane Stephens in the 2017 US Open final, is a clash with Belgian Elise Mertens.

Wimbledon quarterfinalist Emma Navarro also moved on by hammering Dutchwoman Arantxa Rus 6-1 6-1 and faces Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk next.

Peyton Stearns stunned 12^th seed Daria Kasatkina 6-1 7-6(3) to advance, and will next face Olympic silver medallist Donna Vekic.

It was not all good news for the American contingent at Flushing Meadows, though, as unseeded Taylor Townsend fell 6-3 7-5 to Spanish 26^th seed Paula Badosa and Iva Jovicwas beaten 4-6 6-4 7-5 by Ekaterina Alexandrova. — Reuters