September 10, 2016: Caribbean-roots, French-born tennis pro, Gael Monfils, fought hard yesterday – through hot and humid conditions and against the world’s number one in the semi-finals of the 2016 U.S. Open that he managed to reach again for only a second time.
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The Swiss world number three recovered from a slow start to seal a 4-6 7-5 6-4 6-2 win over Kei Nishikori in Friday’s semi-final at Flushing Meadows.
Stanislas Wawrinka, the Swiss player who came out from Federer’s shadow to win two slams (so far) has another chance at landing a major at his 31 years, having overcome Nishikori in his semi-final.
Facing an opponent who occasionally played as if he had somewhere better to be, Novak Djokovic reached his 21st Grand Slam final and seventh at the U.S. Open with a freakish 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 victory over Gael Monfils on Friday.
Djokovic is one of the fittest players in the sport, who has posted an exceptional 27-8 career record in five setters.
“Humid” is how Djokovic described it.
“It was a great strategy I think”.
Serving at 3-all, Wawrinka fell behind love-40 but fought back to hold with a backhand victor. Yes, I know I have some up and down during the year.
Mate Pavic of Croatia and Laura Siegemund of Germany won the U.S. Open mixed doubles championship in their first tournament together, beating the American duo of Rajeev Ram and CoCo Vandeweghe 6-4, 6-4 in the final Friday.
“I had phases when I was pissed off, phases when I was entertained by what he’s doing, and phases where I was upset with myself for allowing him to disturb my rhythm”, Djokovic said.
Novak Djokovic and Gaël Monfils have played each other 12 times.
“I just tried to little by little play a little bit better, a little bit faster, a little bit heavier”. No. 10 Karolina Pliskova; Men’s Doubles Final: No. 4 Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares vs. Pablo Carreno Busta and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez. “I kind of like playing in the heat”. “I think that’s all we were thinking about and feeling”.
The 12-time Grand Slam victor is determined not to add a third loss to that list. There were two one-way sets in which Monfils hardly looked like a player who wanted to win. “He knows also that I can play my best tennis in the final of Grand Slam”, said Wawrinka.
Nishikori’s last gasp was a break in the fifth game, but a quick break back and a hold at love and Wawrinka was back in charge.
“He loves to play in the big stage against big players, because that’s when he elevates his level of performance in his game”, Djokovic said of Wawrinka.
But Wawrinka has played Grand Slam party-pooper before at the Serb’s expense.
Djokovic’s fortunes took a nosedive, first as he called for treatment to his left shoulder and then as three break-back points slipped by, and with them the set. I had to wait, fight, try to make him more uncomfortable.
The world number one will now face either Stan Wawrinka of Kei Nishikori in Sunday’s final.
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“He started using his backhand a little bit more down the line and angles”, said Nishikori, who reached the second week at all four grand slams in one season for the first time in his career.
