Earlier, two-time US Open finalist Caroline Wozniacki beat eighth-seeded American Madison Keys 6-3 6-4, Anastasija Sevastova defeated Johanna Konta 6-4 7-5 and Roberta Vinci won against Lesia Tsurenko 7-6 6-2.
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His 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 quarterfinal win over countryman Lucas Pouille on Tuesday at Arthur Ashe Stadium reflected that more businesslike approach and put him into his first U.S. Open semifinal.
Gael Monfils has been all business in reaching the US Open semi-finals, but the flashy French player scoffs at the idea he’s damped down the showmanship on objective.
Fourteen-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal was sent crashing out of the US Open on Sunday, falling in a five-set thriller to 22-year-old Frenchman Lucas Pouille.
“It took everything”, Pouille said on court afterwards.
“I dive because I want to win the point. What’s the point to make the show and lose, actually?”
He has taken on Gilles Muller, Jan Satral, Nicolas Almagro and the ever popular Marco Baghdatis never looking overly challenged and has only played one tie-breaker across 12 sets of Tennis.
“It’s a court I love”, he told the crowd after finishing off Pouille. I have been saying to the French press that I could serve faster.
Pouille quite simply ran out of steam, winding up with just about three times as many unforced errors as Monfils, 44-15.
Against Tsonga he mustered only five aces and was broken six times by the 2008 Australian Open runner-up, who has reached at least the semifinals of every Grand Slam except this one. “And I think, as I said after Nadal’s match, he’s in very good form”, said Pouille. “With all due respect to everyone, you guys put me on the spot”.
Pouille will face Monfils, a 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 victor over 2006 Australian Open runner-up Marcos Baghdatis, who received a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct for using his cellphone during a second-set changeover.
Pouille has improved plenty since that contest, as recent results would indicate but he still managed to pick up the first two sets.
Nadal had reached the fourth round with minimal fuss and he was favourite to prevail against 24th seed Pouille, who had already gone the distance on two occasions during the opening week at Flushing Meadows.
“I did my best today”. “And the lob obviously is the best shot”.
He will next take on World No. 1 and the tournament’s top seed, Serb Novak Djokovic, who Sunday night easily won against British up-and-comer Kyle Edmund 6-2, 6-1, 6-4. “I’m stronger than before”, said Pouille explaining his success.
Kerber, who has a chance to overtake Williams at No. 1 in the WTA rankings after the tournament, moved into her third Grand Slam semifinal of the year.
After his streak of four consecutive major championships the first time a man had done that in almost 50 years was capped by his initial French Open title, Djokovic was upset in the third round at Wimbledon.
LUCAS POUILLE, the 24th seed, on the mindset that helped him defeat Nadal, victor of 14 Grand Slam singles titles.
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Nadal has enjoyed greater success away from the grand slams this year but he rejected the suggestion he is struggling to cope with the pressure.
