“It was a great theater experience today”.
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Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka meet Sunday afternoon in the 2016 US Open Final.
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. Up 3-2 in the fourth, Djokovic used a medical timeout to get his right shoulder worked on by the trainer and Monfils headed back to the locker room briefly.
And he was the stable one on court.
Gael Monfils, left, congratulates Novak Djokovic after losing to the world No. 1 for the 13th time in as many career matches.
Most players try to lift their level against champions.
The result was a weird semifinal Grand Slam match that had most pundits and commentators up in arms and fuming, while Monfils argued that his only crime was daring to depart from convention and doing everything in his power to reverse his dismal 0-12 record against Djokovic.
Djokovic admitted there were stretches in which Monfils’ unconventional approach got on his nerves and threw him off his game. “You know, it’s tough, because when he calls me unprofessional, he calls my coach unprofessional, calls my physio unprofessional, calls my physic – all my team, actually, unprofessional”. “Fuck yes, I’m competing”. But the guy is too good. “I’ve seen strategy changes”, ESPN analyst John McEnroe said on the air, “but this tops everything”.
“I’m really excited. I watched the final so many times here”.
Gael Monfils says he was just trying to change up his strategy against Novak Djokovic, and he’s sorry John McEnroe thinks that’s “unprofessional”.
“The 6’4” Frenchman’s astounding athleticism can make him a magical player, but his tendency to push and run rather than assert his gifts offensively can make him a maddening player as well.
The shirt off his back: Even before Monfils walked off with the third set, Djokovic had torn his stylish white Uniqlo shirt out of frustration.
A jittery Monfils poked successive double faults to donate the break and a 2-0 lead. Nope. In a blink, Monfils suddenly came to life, playing his athletic best.
Now it was a match, and as they went to the third set, both women began showing more and more emotion. Djokovic should be well rested considering he’s played just three full matches all tournament long. A leaping Monfils banged a backhand down the line that collided with the tape, changed direction and plopped over.
In the late going, Monfils was leaning over and leaning on his racket between points.
Monfils saved three break points in the ninth game before clinching the set, celebrating his lifeline with a mighty roar. After a short comeback attempt from the Frenchman, the opening set finally went the way of the defending champion.
“It’s part of the sport”. “And then it was odd because maybe (fans) will listen to commentary and say I’m unprofessional, I’m poor whatever”. The Frenchman’s soft-balling tactics were clear but his intensity and focus just weren’t there and the set looked all but over very quickly as the unforced errors started to rack up.
“If I have a mic I would say to the audience stop saying that, I’m unprofessional”. It’s the same for both of us and we expected it. the number of you guys (the crowd) coming in made it even more electric and humid. “I have lots of excitement for the finals”.
“At that one or two games, yeah, I allowed [him to get in my head]”, Djokovic said.
Looking ready to throw in the towel, Monfils flapped at a few shots then sprinkled in a few brilliant returns to leave an increasingly irritated Djokovic off-balance and the crowd scratching their heads. Monfils won four games in a row with the kind of electric shot-making that makes him such a popular figure.
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“But one look at the 29-year-old’s ATP World Tour-best 14,840 ranking points (some 5,535 points ahead of his nearest pursuer, Murray) is all you need to know about Djokovic’s dominance”. “Sometimes you don’t have answer”.
