“It’s really humid, really hot”. High of 89. An evening shower forced the roof to close during the Wawrinka-Nishikori match.
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Novak Djokovic has downed Gael Monfils in the United States semifinals to reach the final for the seventh time.
Wawrinka recovered from losing the first set to clinch a 4-6 7-5 6-4 6-2 victory.
ON COURT TODAY Women’s Singles Final: No. 2 Angelique Kerber vs.
Serving for the first set, there came a point where it became very evident that Monfils had given up on the set and was trying to hand it to Djoko on the platter.
“It’s a great feeling, ” Murray said in his post-match interview when reminded he’s accomplished something his more famous younger brother, Andy, has not by winning two major titles this year. “So I know right now, having two grand slam titles, an Olympic medal and a Davis Cup under his belt, he believes in himself more. I think the crowd enjoyed it in the end”. Suddenly up, 4-3, in the set, Pliskova yelled, pumping her fists. Monfils held on to take the third set 6-3, and we were onto a fourth.
The Serb double-faulted at the break point and handed the break right back to Monfils to prolong this absolutely peculiar and unexplainable match. When I was a kid, I was always dreaming to one day be the No. 1 player in the world, to win Grand Slams, ” said Kerber, a 28-year-old German who will move up one spot from No. 2 and replace Serena Williams atop the WTA rankings on Monday.
Never more so than on this muggy afternoon, with the temperature at 90 degrees and the humidity above 50 percent.
The “slowball” tactics and lack of movement began after he fell 5-0 behind and by the third set drew some boos from the crowd, with four-time victor McEnroe saying: “Monfils is bordering on unprofessional”.
On ESPN’s telecast, John McEnroe blasted the 10th-seeded Frenchman for lack of effort. Monfils looked as if he could barely bother to be on court, started soft-balling, a la Arthur Ashe v Jimmy Connors in the 1975 Wimbledon final. “Sometimes you don’t have an answer on this type of question, it just happens”.
Safe to say, nothing the rest of the way is likely to be as intriguing as Djokovic vs. Monfils.
Trailing 0-40 in the seventh game, Wawrinka was able to save five break points to hold and knotted the match at two sets apiece with a break in the 12th game.
Instead of his usual crouch preparing to return serves, alert and with elbows on knees, Monfils casually stood upright at the baseline, without a worry in the world, looking like someone waiting to place his takeout espresso order. During points, Monfils would hit slices or make truly half-hearted, half-swinging strokes, then occasionally smack a 100 miles per hour forehand. I can push him a little bit to also defend myself. and put him out of his balance.
Somehow, the tactic was effective, for a short while, anyway.
“I was completely caught off-guard”, Djokovic acknowledged.
Last year, Djokovic saw his hopes of completing a career Slam crushed in four sets by the Swiss in the Roland Garros final.
“I thought at times that he was, you know, maybe behaving a little bit – for some terms and judgments, unacceptable – but, again, I guess that was part of his tactics”, said Djokovic. “The only reason I’m saying borderline is because it’s working”.
“It’s not easy when you have to play number two, number three, and, you know, Novak Djokovic was waiting in the finals”. And then he comes to the net and I pass him. Djokovic wrapped up the second set 6-2 and at this point, all looked lost.
On Saturday, Monfils was leaning over and using his racket like a cane for support between points in the third and fourth sets.
Monfils won five consecutive games, including one spectacular point in which he took a long run to get to a short ball, then reversed direction for a leaping volley victor.
The New York punters gave in to a round of booing at the start of the third set, and Monfils responded by urging them on.
In head-to-head play, Djokovic leads Wawrinka 19-3.
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The 29-year-old arrived in NY with niggling injuries to his left wrist and right elbow but claimed he is not concerned ahead of the final. Thankfully, that’s behind me so I don’t have any concerns.
