Kyle Edmund’s excellent run at the US Open ended in disappointment as the British number four was blown away by Novak Djokovic. Interestingly, even del Potro received some medical attention on his right shoulder injury after dropping serve to go 2-1 down in the first set in the same match.
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All the questions Djokovic faced coming into the tournament, into this match – the “personal” problems that contributed to his early Wimbledon exit; his first-round defeat in Rio; withdrawing from Cincinnati; the wrist and arm injuries he struggled with in his unconvincing first-round win against Jerzy Janowicz; the lack of time on court here – were all being emphatically answered.
Rafael Nadal said he was sad to have squandered an opportunity to do something special at the US Open with his fourth-round loss at Flushing Meadows, but happy with his effort and prospects going forward this season.
Edmund, 21, ranked 84 beat two seeds as he made it to the last-16 of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career.
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TSONGA VS. SOCK: Two guys equipped with big serves and big forehands meet when No. 9 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France plays No. 26 Jack Sock, the last USA man in the tournament.
Edmund was playing in the fourth round of a grand slam for the first time and making his debut in Arthur Ashe Stadium but Djokovic taught the youngster a lesson with a 6-2 6-1 6-4 victory.
His left wrist had been bothering him since early August, so Djokovic arrived in NY without much recent match play, having lost in the first round of the Rio Olympics and pulled out of a hard-court tuneup tournament.
On Day 7 of the U.S. Open, the tournament switches gears from the early rounds to the late ones, with eight fourth-round matches slated in singles for both Sunday and Monday.
Furthermore, analysts explained that given the current state of the Serbian champion, a fit and in good condition number 11 seed French Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has seen to have more advantage.
The bigger worry though for the world No. 1 is the fact that he has barely played since.
He anticipated nearly every shot Edmund would make – “he got the text before Edmund even sent it”, as Gilbert said on commentary.
The Spaniard looked poised to reach match point himself when he came in on a short ball and looked set to unleash a victor, but his forehand found the net and Pouille made no such mistake on his big swing that finished the match.
“Obviously you don’t want to go out of a tournament”.
“I’m feeling very good, to be honest”, Djokovic said. While the big server could not prove to be a threat for Djokovic, he did manage to make the Serb run for two hours and 37 minutes before losing 6-3, 5-7, 6-2, 6-1. “I feel great at this moment physically; mentally as well”. Third-seeded Stan Wawrinka, sixth-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan, eighth-seeded Austrian Dominic Thiem and former champion Juan Martin del Potro will also battle for quarterfinal berths.
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“I need to continue to do that”.
