At grand slams, the top players like to gradually increase their level of play as the tournament progresses.
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Djokovic however, is unfazed by his short time on court.
But his 13th win in 13 meetings with the mercurial Frenchman will go down as one of the oddest in Grand Slam history.
On the first break of the second set, all four points for Monfils came off Pouille’s errors.
Djokovic, 29, who came to NY with questions about his fitness and form after a first-round exit from the Rio Olympics and concerns over an injured left wrist, has sailed into the semi-finals in record time due to a freaky path.
Djokovic defeated Czech Jiri Vesely by walkover in the second round and then advanced to the fourth round when Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny retired midway through the first set.
Monfils saved three break points in the ninth game before clinching the set, celebrating his lifeline with a mighty roar.
Djokovic was unnerved after Monfils appeared at times to give up trying in Arthur Ashe Stadium while both players struggled with injury during a fractious two hours and 32 minutes.
Australian and French Open champion Djokovic came to NY with question marks, having lost in the third round at Wimbledon and the first at the Rio Olympics while battling a nagging left wrist injury. Pouille never had won a U.S. Open match or any match that lasted five sets until last week; his 4-hour-plus victory against Nadal on Sunday was his third five-setter in a row.
The format includes three singles and one doubles match each day. This is nearly an entire tournament.
It looked lightweight but carried a mighty punch as the Frenchman saved four set points in the sixth and seventh games of the match. Monfils has finished 15.
The only man remaining other than Djokovic who has won Grand Slams (two), Wawrinka, 31, is seeking to become the fifth man in the Open Era to win multiple major titles after age 30.
On the contrary, Monfils has been thoroughly tested.
Undercooked? Yes. Concerned? No.
Novak Djokovic’s extraordinary run of good fortune at the US Open continued here last night as yet another of his opponents failed to last the distance.
“I am not really concerned”, Djokovic said. “And I try my best'”. Of course that this Grand Slam is very unique for me.
“I can only wish all of my opponents a speedy recovery”, Djokovic said after another injury struck down his latest opponent.
“Of course, I was a bit exhausted today”, Pouille said.
“I put myself in a position again to be one match away from the finals”, he said.
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He returned to action by winning the Toronto Masters, but then lost in the first round of the Rio Olympics. He’s a better player than me, definitely.
