In Sunday’s final, he will face No. 3 Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland or No. 6 Kei Nishikori of Japan, who were playing the other semifinal Friday night.
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Wawrinka’s arduous path to the title match included saving a match point in the third round.
Gael Monfils, of France, returns a shot to Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Friday, Sept. 9, 2016, in NY. As Djokovic was serving to stay in the set he hit a couple of questionable drop shots from 40-15 up that Monfils chased down easily to bring him to deuce. In the victory, Wawrinka won 76 percent of his first serve points and 50 percent of his second serve points. Back then she could have had no idea that eight years later, it would be here that she would win her first Grand Slam title.
It is Djokovic’s 21st career Grand Slam final, second in the Open Era to Roger Federer, who has contested 28 Grand Slam finals.
Novak Djokovic vs Stan Wawrinka it is in the men’s singles final. There were signs of life from the world number twelve, however, in the third, and he came back from a break down to take the third set.
TODAY ON TV 3-6 p.m. She also took part in the WTA finals, where the best eight players of the season faced off against one another. Nishikori was the U.S. Open runner-up in 2014.
“I tried to get inside Novak’s head”, said Monfils. “I watched the final so many times here. For sure, you know, it’s easy to punish me because I not win anything”. “And I try my best, ‘” Monfils said in his postmatch news conference.
“I was completely caught offguard”, Djokovic said.
The once-dominant Big Four act is no more.
“When you change, you change with what you got”, Monfils said. “What I got is my speed”. “I’ve seen strategy changes”, ESPN analyst John McEnroe said on the air, “but this tops everything”.
Not quite. The fourth set did provide further intrigue, and Djokovic looked vulnerable at times as his shoulder trouble inhibited his service action.
The heat was clearly having an impact on the match, and after losing the third set, a visibly frustrated Djokovic responded by ripping open his shirt.
In what was one of the more freakish encounters to unfold on a grand slam court, Monfils was showered with boos one set and cheers the next before exiting Arthur Stadium to a mixture of both. Instead, she decided to make a new start, working harder than ever and surprised everyone by reaching the semifinals of the US Open.
Gael Monfils rejected accusations he failed to try his hardest against Novak Djokovic after he was beaten in a controversial semi-final at the US Open.
Monfils lost in four sets 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 and got off to a bad start at 0-5 in the first set.
Nevertheless, Monfils lost 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Monfils forced a fourth set, and Djokovic ripped off his white shirt angrily a la “The Incredible Hulk”.
Monfils said what McEnroe – a seven-time Grand Slam titlist – saw as a lack of effort was actually an attempt to change up his strategy and give Djokovic another look.
Djokovic, who is now 13-0 against Monfils, was asked to describe the match in his on-court interview.
Monfils’ response to that criticism, and to questions about his freakish tactics during the match, were honest, refreshing and at times, even sad.
In an error-filled game, Monfils managed to scrape back one of the breaks with help of three double faults from an out of sorts Djokovic. The world number 12 was standing well inside the baseline to return Djokovic’s first serves and he just pushed them back into play. Pouille had upset Rafael Nadal in the fourth round. “He was just too good”.
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Mate Pavic of Croatia and Laura Siegemund of Germany won the U.S. Open mixed doubles championship in their first tournament together, beating the American duo of Rajeev Ram and CoCo Vandeweghe 6-4, 6-4 in the final Friday.
