Another wonderful stat leading up to this match was that Djokovic was undefeated against Monfils in professional matches leading 12-0 in H2Hs.
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“I thought, at times, that he was maybe behaving a little bit for some terms and judgments unacceptable”, Djokovic said.
“It’s some sort of rope-a-dope tactic that’s working”, ESPN’s Brad Gilbert said on air. “I have nothing personal to him, so I’m very sad to hear that”, Monfils said.
Stan Wawrinka got the better of 2009 champion Juan Martin del Potro 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to reach the US Open semi-finals for the third time, here on Thursday. Monfils looked to get his first easy hold of the match as he went 40-0 up on serve but two more double faults and a bad volley brought them to deuce. Then came this 2½-hour miniseries, topping them all for oddness. Then abracadabra and boom, out of nowhere, the Frenchman blew Djokovic apart to race to a 5-2 lead. All over but the shouting, right? Nope. In a blink, Monfils suddenly came to life.
From 0-40 down in the ninth game he produced a blistering run that ended with a forehand victor that Djokovic could not handle and with a roar the Frenchman was back in the match. Later, it was time for help with the right shoulder during a medical timeout. Asked what health worries he might have, Djokovic replied, “Thankfully, it’s behind me”. “It’s behind me, so I don’t have any concerns”. During points, Monfils would hit slices or make truly half-hearted, half-swinging strokes, then occasionally smack a 100 miles per hour forehand. Perhaps. But Djokovic showed his own signs of distress in the energy-sapping conditions.
Yes, she is. And a two-time Grand Slam champion, too.
1 Of the ten players who have reached the U.S. Open semifinals on the men’s side without dropping a set in the last 25 years, only one (Rafael Nadal, 2010) has gone on to win the title.
The world number 12 gave a passionate defence of his performance and insisted he was simply aiming to unsettle his opponent.
Djokovic will start as favourite in the final, holding a 19-4 lead over Wawrinka and 10-2 when facing Nishikori. “He s been playing good tennis”, said Nishikori who has a double target this weekend. 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.
The third-seeded Wawrinka faces No. 1 Novak Djokovic on Sunday in a rematch of the 2015 French Open final.
But just before losing the third set, defending champion Djokovic displayed an uncharacteristically hot-headed moment by tearing open his shirt. Live streams of all matches will be available via WatchESPN.
It did not stop Djokovic playing lights-out tennis.
But there is also unfinished business for Monfils today at Flushing Meadows.
Stan Wawrinka, of Switzerland, reacts after winning a point during his match against Juan Martin del Potro, of Argentina, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis tournament, early Thursday, Sept. 8, 2016, in NY.
Monfils, playing in only his second Grand Slam semi-final after making the last-four at the 2008 French Open, theatrically hobbled off the court and was jeered. Nadal hasn’t even reached a Slam semifinal in almost two-and-half years.
The sixth-seeded Nishikori rallied to upset Andy Murray in five sets Wednesday, and he picked up where he left off at the start of his semifinal.
The rivalry between Wawrinka and Nishikori is more balanced.
This time, Monfils was leaning over and using his racket like a cane for support between points in the third and fourth sets. He was cramping up, leaning over the net and just didn’t seem to have enough fuel left in his tank.
Nishikori was 4 of 15 on break-point chances.
The second set followed more of the same pattern. That was the momentum shift when I lost my service game. He will be competing in his seventh Grand Slam final in two years.
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He celebrates by pointing to his temple, a reminder that “sometimes I don’t find always myself comfortable on the court – I have to fight with myself”.
