“I’m feeling very good, to be honest”, Djokovic said.
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The evening patrons were well lubricated and passionate, adding to the fevered atmosphere, and they roared their appreciation of every Edmund error, every Isner success.
“I knew it was going to come down to one or two points and I’m very pleased I came out on top”. He was given another rapid advance when Russian Mikhail Youzhny retired due to a leg injury when trailing 4-2 in the first set on Friday.
Djokovic, who has been struggling with a wrist injury, has been given extra time to recover over the first week at Flushing Meadows with second round opponent Jiri Vesely handing him a walkover and third round foe Mikhail Youzhny withdrawing after only six games.
“Playing the world number one is always going to be tough”, said Edmund. He will play the victor of the match between 10th-seeded Gale Monfils and Nicolas Almagro. For me, if he’s played matches or not, he’s going to be tough to play, isn’t he?
“When he sets it up very nicely, he can hit a very good forehand from all over the court”. “I haven’t played much tennis”. Riske had two points on her serve at 5-4 in a second-set tiebreaker to try to close out the match.
American Jack Sock eliminated 2014 U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic to reach the fourth round at Flushing Meadows for the first time.
The pair have met once before, in Australian Open qualifying in 2013, when Konta won a tight match 6-3 6-7 (8/10) 6-4.
Edmund raced three games to the good before eventually seeing the set through, paving the way for victory in the fifth set when being taken all the way to a tie-break which he took with his third match point.
It looked set up for Edmund to take the fourth but Isner was not finished and, thanks to a couple of serves in excess of 130mph, he held on and took the set to a tie-break. Vinci went up a break to start the third only for Witthoeft to later get the set back on serve.
The American saved two on his serve, but Edmund won it with a trademark booming forehand, the kind he had been hitting all week, and deservedly booked the date with Djokovic.
If Novak Djokovic looked a little less than his precision best in the first match of his title defence in NY, perhaps it was with good reason. My game is trying to be aggressive.
Anastasija Sevastova has followed up her upset of Garbine Muguruza by equaling her best performance at a Grand Slam.
Edmund had said earlier he was prepared for a five-setter if needed, but clearly he was straining to finish it in four – while Isner continued to play his unique brand of attritional tennis.
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The bottom half of the women’s last 16 will be played out with second seeded Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber facing two-time Wimbledon victor Petra Kvitova.
