Laslo Djere takes on Novak Djokovic. Our U.S. Open odds series has our Djere Djokovic prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Djere Djokovic.
One year ago at the US Open, Laslo Djere played his Serbian countryman Novak Djokovic in the third round. Everyone was expecting a routine match, and rightly so. Djokovic had won two major championships in 2023 and then barely lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the fifth set of the Wimbledon final. Djokovic was the best male tennis player in the world last year. Carlos Alcaraz was very good, but Djokovic was better. Of course Djokovic was going to rout Djere on his way to the championship. At least, that was the conventional wisdom.
It did not turn out that way. Djokovic fell behind two sets to love. Djere was clearly the better player in the first 75 minutes of the match. Djokovic has come back from two sets down at major tournaments many times in his career, but at the age of 36, two-set comebacks aren't as automatic for a tennis player as they might have been in the late 20s or very early 30s, closer to one's physical and athletic prime.
Djokovic was undaunted. He calmly regrouped and won the next three sets comfortably — the way people thought he would at the start of the match — to win in five. Djokovic did go on to win the US Open title in 2023, but that test against Djere might have been the wake-up call he needed.
This year, Djokovic does not need another five-setter. He needs a calm, smooth Week 1 to fill the fuel tank for Week 2. We saw how little juice Djokovic had against Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final. That's a best-of-five-set match. Djokovic beat Alcaraz at the Olympics, but that was best of three sets. Djokovic needs to be physically fresh if he meets Alcaraz at the end of this tournament. If he plays another five-setter versus Djere, that will undercut his plans.
Here are the Laslo Djere-Novak Djokovic U.S. Open odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
U.S. Open Odds: Laslo Djere-Novak Djokovic
Game Spread:
Djere +9.5: -138
Djokovic -9.5: +106
Moneyline:
Djere +2200
Djokovic -8000
To Win First Set:
Djere +690
Djokovic -1200
Total Games In Match:
Over 28.5: -112
Under 28.5: -118
Total Games Won:
Djere over 9.5: -130
Djere under 9.5: -104
Djokovic over 18.5: -122
Djokovic under 18.5: -110
How to Watch U.S. Open
Time: approx. 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT — could be 30 minutes earlier or later depending on length of previous match
TV: ESPN, ESPN Plus
Stream: (free trial)
Why Laslo Djere Will Win
Djokovic is an elite player, but even elite players can struggle with the reality of playing a friend and a fellow countryman in a big tournament. That seemed to limit Djokovic one year ago. Djere is getting 9.5 games, a huge spread. All he has to do to cover the spread is win at least three games per set. If he loses 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 — a lopsided score — he still covers the spread. That's a lot of games.
Why Novak Djokovic Will Win
Djokovic is going to remember last year. Djere is a friend, but Djokovic knows he needs to make this match quick, not long. Djokovic will tend to business and get this one done in under two hours.
Final Laslo Djere-Novak Djokovic Prediction & Pick
Djokovic should win in straight sets, but as we saw last year, playing a countryman from Serbia could be emotionally tricky. We're leaning to Djokovic under 18.5 games — a bet which won in the first round versus Radu Albot — but our official position is to pass on this match.
Click Here for more betting news & predictions
Final Laslo Djere-Novak Djokovic Prediction & Pick: Djokovic under 18.5 games
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