Novak Djokovic’s right elbow had to be treated by a trainer in the third set of an otherwise matter-of-fact 6-2 6-1 6-4 victory over Kyle Edmund at the US Open. “I’m most pleased with that”.
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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.
The bigger worry though for the world No. 1 is the fact that he has barely played since.
The Serbian athlete triumphed over the Brit 6-2, 6-1, 6-4, on Sunday, advancing to the quarterfinals.
He wrapped up the first two sets in little over an hour, but Edmund produced some crunching forehands to break Djokovic’s serve in the third game of the third set, prompting the top seed to seek a medical timeout.
Was it Novak Djokovic returning to his all-conquering self, or Kyle Edmund struggling to cope with the occasion that led to a fairly lopsided scoreline in their last 16 US Open clash? “I’m motivated. So coming into the second week of a grand slam quarter-finals … it’s exactly where I want to be”.
He played down any possible problems post match however, preferring to focus on the match itself, as he continues his quest for a 13th Grand Slam title.
Konta will play Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia, conqueror of French Open champion Garbine Muguruza in the second round, after she overcame Ukraine’s Kateryna Bondarenko 6-4, 6-1.
The treatment Djokovic received on his elbow had also looked painful.
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.
Novak Djokovic said he was happy with the intensity he showed in Sunday’s US Open fourth-round win over Kyle Edmund despite his unusual preparation.
“It’s good to play an entire match”.
The slower conditions at night and virtually indoors on Arthur Ashe Stadium Court will suit Djokovic and he loves playing these late matches at the US Open, but so should Tsonga the showman.
He predicted a big future for Edmund but thought the occasion had got to him this time.
Djokovic has won 15 out of his 26 encounters with Tsonga.
He led by a break at 1-0 and 4-2 in the fifth set, but Pouille broke back to 4-all, and eventually converted his fourth match point in the tiebreaker with a gutsy forehand victor to close a 16-stroke exchange.
She returned to the professional game in January a year ago and is now looking for her second scalp of the fortnight after seeing off third seed Garbine Muguruza in round two. Barbora and Marin will now take on seventh seeded Americans Coco Vandeweghe and Rajeev Ram in the quarter-finals.
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Nadal, who has made an extraordinary comeback from a wrist injury that forced him to retire before his third-round match at Roland Garros and withdraw from Wimbledon, fought them all off to make it 6-6.
