Playing in a Grand Slam is a milestone for any rising tennis star. For 23-year-old Zachary Svajda, his breakthrough win at the French Open was more than just a career milestone; it was a tribute to the man who helped him get there. Novak Djokovic, the legend who never shies away from supporting young talents, weighed in with an emotional message for Svajda.
Zachary Svajda’s Stunning Roland Garros Debut Draws Novak Djokovic’s Heartwarming Message
Before this week, the 85th-ranked Svajda had never advanced past the second round of a Grand Slam main draw. He spent years on the ATP Challenger circuit, and his father and coach, Thomas Svajda, was a guiding force in that journey. Tragically, Thomas passed away from cancer in October of last year.
Facing 25th-seeded Argentine Francisco Cerundolo in the third round, Svajda delivered the best performance of his career so far. After taking a two-set lead, he suffered from leg cramps in the Paris heat, allowing Cerundolo to fight back and force a fifth set. However, Svajda took the deciding set to secure a 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3 victory.
The victory was massive, but the timing made it heavy. Saturday would have been his father’s 61st birthday.
After the match, Svajda dropped onto his back and pointed to the sky. He later posted on Instagram: “Happy Birthday Dad ❤️ I know you’re watching from above 🙏🏼.”
The tennis world rallied around the young American, but a message from Djokovic made it more special. Under the post, Djokovic commented: “Congratulations Zach! You deserve it. Your dad is watching, and he is smiling ❤️”
“The atmosphere was incredible,” Svajda later told in his post-match talk with Tennis Channel. “And what’s crazy, like, it was so emotional, too, because it’s my dad’s birthday today. I lost him last year, and that’s all I was thinking about in the match, and it definitely brought me tears.”
Last September, Svajda withdrew from a three-week tournament run in China, short after just four days, to rush home to his terminally ill father in California. He booked a return flight upon hearing from doctors that his father’s passing was imminent. “Right after the match, I spoke to my mom. My dad couldn’t speak anymore because of all the things that were going on with him. I was talking to my mom, ‘I’m coming home and taking care of you guys.”
A month before that, in the US Open, Svajda had faced Djokovic in the second round. That was his best run in a Grand Slam until yesterday.
Meanwhile, at 39, Djokovic is at the back end of his career, managing his schedule closely to chase a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title. Just a day before Svajda’s triumph, Djokovic suffered a third-round upset himself, falling in a five-hour, five-set battle to 19-year-old Brazilian João Fonseca.
Next up, Svajda heads into his first-ever Grand Slam fourth round to face Italy’s Flavio Cobolli.
