NOVAK DJOKOVIC’s gruesome toe injury was exposed to the world on TV during his US Open first-round victory – which was watched live by golf superstar Rory McIlroy.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion hot-footed it into the second round with a 6-1 7-6 6-2 win over American teenager Learner Tien.
Yet after winning the second-set tie-break, on the tournament’s first-ever Sunday start, the Serbian, 38, had to call for a trainer and took off his trainers for treatment.
On closer inspection, courtside cameras picked up the nasty blister on his right foot, with the skin appearing to be peeling off.
The images went around the globe and would have put most people off their dinners.
It has raised concerns about whether he will be okay to last another six matches at Flushing Meadows as he chases a historic 25th Slam.
But Djokovic, a four-time US Open champion, has attempted to downplay any concerns.
Djokovic, who is ranked seventh in the main draw, said: “The blister, yeah, okay, it bothered me for a bit, but it wasn’t an issue.
“I’m not concerned about a blister. It’s more just an overall feeling of recovery after the points, long rallies, which wasn’t that great today.”
Separately to the horror toe problem, there were times when he struggled to catch his breath, yet he does not know for sure why that is.
Djokovic added: “I really was surprised by how bad I was feeling in the second set physically.
“We had long exchanges but also I kind of dropped my level and made a lot of unforced errors – and that got him back into the match.
“I’m glad that I kind of reset myself after the second set.
“There are positives but also things that hopefully won’t happen in terms of how I feel on the court physically the way I felt in the second set.
“Hopefully that doesn’t happen, because then it makes my life on the court definitely much more challenging.
“Good thing is I’ve got two days off now. But yeah, it’s slightly a concern. I don’t know.
“I don’t have any injury or anything. I just struggled a lot to stay in long exchanges and to recover after points. It is what it is.”
McIlroy, the reigning Masters champion, finished tied 23rd, at six under par, on the final day of the Tour Championship at East Lake in Atlanta, Georgia.
Just as Tommy Fleetwood broke his PGA Tour duck, the Northern Irish putter was flying on a private jet to the Big Apple to watch Djokovic, whose clash began at 7pm local time.
McIlroy, who was enjoying a boys’ night out, had time for his fans, posing for selfies, and looked relaxed as he watched the greatest male tennis player go about his business.
For Djokovic, this was his 75th consecutive win in the first round of the majors, and he will now prepare to face American qualifier Zachary Svajda in the Last 64.
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