Kei Nishikori did the hard work by knocking world number two Andy Murray out of the US Open but blunting the free swinging backhand of Stan Wawrinka was a step too far.
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Monfils – featuring in the semis of a major for just the second time – went down 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-2 to the world number one in NY.
Down a set and a break Friday, the third-seeded Wawrinka took control to oust Kei Nishikori 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-2.
“Well, it was a odd match”, said Djokovic, in the understatement of the tournament, “as it always is, I guess, when you play Gael, who is very unpredictable player”.
“Humid”, Djokovic said when asked to describe the match. I’m sorry if you think I’m unprofessional.
Monfils robustly rejected the notion that he did not give his all, saying: “I think I tried my best”.
The US Open semi-final clash between Novak Djokovic and Gael Monfils was perhaps the most entertaining match in recent times.
Djokovic regained the upper hand, as he so often does, reaching his 21st Grand Slam final and seventh at the U.S. Open with an eventful and, at times, freaky 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 victory over Monfils on Friday.
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About his approach to the final, he then said, ‘I have an extra day now to recover and get ready for the finals, which is where definitely I desire to be whenever I come to the Grand Slam.
Things should return to some semblance of normal for Djokovic in Sunday’s final now that Wawrinka – who brazenly carries a racket bag embroidered with the words “Stan the Man” – stands between him and his third career US Open title.
Djokovic entered Friday having enjoyed the easiest path to a major semifinal in the almost half-century of the Open era: Three of his first five foes pulled out of because of injuries.
“I had to wait and fight and make him a bit uncomfortable and he started to get exhausted”.
It was Djokovic who emerged with the set, however, and as the Serbian star raced through the second Monfils’s interest again appeared to wane.
“I think it worked, you just don’t want to see it”, Monfils said.
The Japanese player levelled after play was interrupted briefly as rain forced the roof to be closed.
Miscue after miscue arrived from Djokovic, and Monfils won three games in a row, before eventually dropping a set for the first time all tournament.
But the 31-year-old Wawrinka – except for couple blips – seemed to be running downhill once Nishikori began to look distressed. The French player played quite strangely and McEnroe did not like it. ‘He is unprofessional, this is one the craziest match I’ve ever seen, ‘ he went on to say.
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“He also started to get exhausted a little bit and that’s when I started to get my game, to be aggressive”.
