Serbian world No. 1 Novak Djokovic advanced to the U.S. Open final with a 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 victory Friday over Frenchman Gael Monfils in a match that featured occasionally freakish shifts in momentum and tactics.
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Told about McEnroe’s comments, Monfils said he was “very sad to learn that such a legend (would) criticize me, because at the end what I can say to John is, ‘You know, John, I want to be the best”.
The Serb was forced to have treatment on both shoulders, as both players had to deal with the sweltering conditions in NY.
“Humid, ” is how the Serb described it.
Monfils, however, had the following message for McEnroe: “I’m sorry if you think I’m unprofessional, but I guess I’m working, I’m learning”.
Monfils robustly rejected the notion that he did not give his all, saying: “I think I tried my best”.
Stan Wawrinka has set up a US Open final meeting with Novak Djokovic after beating Kei Nishikori. A player who didn’t make his first Grand Slam semifinal until age 28 will now seek his third major title in as many years. But you have two fine players standing in the end and that is going to be an exciting watch.
The fourth set followed a similar pattern with Nishikori recovering after Wawrinka had surged ahead, but the world number seven could not consolidate after breaking to get back to 3-2. He wiggled out of trouble and broke Nishikori in the next game, lacing a patented one-handed backhand that overpowered a net-rushing Nishikori to take a two sets to one lead.
The sixth-seeded Nishikori rallied to upset Andy Murray in five sets Wednesday, and he picked up where he left off at the outset of the semifinal.
He was soon to rip his shirt in frustration. Djokovic should be well rested considering he’s played just three full matches all tournament long.
He was bending double at every opportunity and even drinking a Coca-Cola at one changeover.
The errors that were originally coming from the Frenchman’s racket started to creep into Djokovic’s game and with the help of yet another double fault, the break back went to Monfils.
It was with a victor on match point which flew past an nearly stationary Monfils.
“Well, it was a unusual match, as it always is, I guess, when you play Gael, who is very unpredictable player.” said Djokovic, in the understatement of the tournament, admitting that Monfils’s freakish approach had unsettled him.
The Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd roared, and Kerber celebrated by raising her right hand and wagging her index finger in the air, as if to remind opponent Karolina Pliskova – and everyone else – “I’m No. 1!” “I’m starting to move out of the shadows”. “I just had to change”. “Definitely, I tried to get in his head and create something new for him to see”.
He won 70 per cent of first serve points in the last two sets and hit 38 winners overall.
It is Djokovic’s 21st career Grand Slam final, second in the Open Era to Roger Federer, who has contested 28 Grand Slam finals.
The Japanese player levelled after play was interrupted briefly as rain forced the roof to be closed. In the victory, Djokovic won 68 percent of his first serve points and 53 percent of his second serve points.
There was one final push from Nishikori, who broke back when Wawrinka played a woeful service game at 3-2.
In the second set, Monfils lost five games in a row and 20 of 24 points in one stretch, and came up limping afterward.
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Wawrinka said he would have to play his best tennis to beat Djokovic again.
