Reuters
New York, Sept 7: Novak Djokovic’s strange US Open took another bizarre turn as he advanced to the semifinals here Tuesday when Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga retired at the start of the third set, trailing 6-3, 6-2.
Tsonga took a medical timeout during the changeover at 2-5 of the second set and had the area below his left knee taped. Djokovic held serve to love to close out the set and the Frenchman walked off, giving the Serbian passage into the last four for a 10th consecutive time.
It has been an unusual tournament for Djokovic who has played only two full matches. He was gifted a walkover in the second round and a retirement after six games in the third before Tsonga.
For a place in the final Djokovic will meet another Frenchman – Gael Monfils who defeated Lucas Pouille 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.
“I’m in the semifinals, so that’s what matters for me the most,” Djokovic told reporters after 83 minutes in the Arthur Ashe Stadium. “I know Jo for a long time, he’s a fighter, somebody who loves the big stage. This is something I’m sure he didn’t wish for.”
The first five games progressed on serve to offer promise of a big-hitting battle. But Tsonga wobbled in the sixth game, committing three double faults to lose serve, the first of three successive breaks that left the Serb with a 5-3 lead. From that point, Djokovic dominated.
Djokovic however, is unfazed by his short time on court. “In this stage of the season, considering some physical issues I have had… this was the scenario that I needed and I wished for,” he said.
Meanwhile Monfils was his dynamic self and invincible from the service line in a commanding win over 22-year-old Pouille. But after the match, Monfils admitted that he has a mountain to climb against Djokovic. Incidentally, the Frenchman has never beaten Djokovic in their 12 meetings so far.
“Admittedly he (Djokovic) is one of the greatest players, the game has seen,” stated Monfils. “But I am here in my first US Open semifinals and am going to relish every moment of it.”
Caroline, Kerber cruise into semis
Caroline Wozniacki’s dramatic resurgence continued Tuesday when the former World No.1 defeated a hobbling Anastasija Sevastova to reach her fourth US Open semifinal. The two-time runner-up eased to a 6-0, 6-2 win and will face second seed Angelique Kerber for a place in Saturday’s championship match. The German defeated Roberta Vinci 7-5, 6-0.
Sevastova, playing in her first Grand Slam quarterfinal, never recovered from falling and turning her right ankle in the second game of the opening set. She lost the first set tamely winning just 12 points.
The 26-year-old was hobbled from that point on and the contest was over in just over an hour with the World No. 48 having committed 30 unforced errors to the Dane’s five.
The former fiancé of Rory McIlroy however, empathised for the injury suffered by the Latvian. “I feel really sorry for her as I have had that injury before,” said the 26-year-old Wozniacki who will now return to the top 30 as a result of her surprise run here. I
Kerber holds a 7-5 career record over Wozniacki. The German second seed showed remarkable powers of resilience to retrieve three breaks of serve against the 33-year-old Vinci in the first set. In the second, her power-hitting simply destroyed the Italian.
Sania, Strycova lose in quarters
World No. 1 Sania Mirza and her Czech partner Barbara Strycova were ousted from the women’s doubles event after losing to top seeds Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic 6-7 (3-7), 1-6 in the quarterfinals of the US Open, here Tuesday. Sania’s exit marked the end of the Indian challenge in the event. After a tough first set which
lasted 45 minutes, the Indo-Czech combo faded away in the second.
