Age is Just a Number: Djokovic, Mannarino, and Struff Shine at the 2025 US Open

The player most expected to reach this stage, despite dealing with blisters and a back problem, Novak Djokovic has gradually but steadily raised his level throughout the tournament. In his third-round match, he struck an impressive 18 aces and faced just one break point. With every Slam potentially his last chance to claim a record 25th major, the 38-year-old is prepared to leave everything on the court in pursuit of that goal once again this tournament.

Adrian Mannarino

Some might argue that Adrian Mannarino benefited from luck when Ben Shelton was forced to retire mid-match against him, but luck often favors the prepared. After starting the year with a ten-match losing streak, Mannarino has done remarkably well to turn his season around this summer and has now reached the second week in New York for the first time in his career. The road ahead will only get tougher, but this tournament has already been a success for the French veteran.

Jan-Lennard Struff

Facing similar struggles to Mannarino and having dropped outside the top 100, this tournament has been a revelation for the hard-hitting, big-serving Jan-Lennard Struff . Building on the momentum of his Wimbledon run where he stretched Carlos Alcaraz to a tough four-set battle, Struff carried that form into the US Open. After qualifying for the main draw, he went on to defeat two heavy hitters, Holger Rune and Frances Tiafoe, in back-to-back matches. An all-35+ showdown against Novak Djokovic now awaits him, a match that, regardless of the result, he should savor and give his all in.

Enduring Greatness at the US Open

Sports science has extended careers through recovery, training, and nutrition, but even with these advances, the presence of three players aged 35 and above in the US Open’s second week is a remarkable feat of endurance and conditioning. In a sport often defined by youth, Novak Djokovic, Adrian Mannarino, and Jan-Lennard Struff arrive in the second week at the US Open with contrasting goals yet share the chance to leave their mark on this tournament.