So he transformed back into his entertaining, athletic self. It happened again in the third set, when Monfils’ quirky behavior drove Djokovic to tear off his shirt after the final point.
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The ultimate outcome was only briefly in the balance, though.
“It’s not easy when you have to play number two, number three and (number one) Novak was waiting in the finals”.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “First question is, like, ‘You’re not competing?'”.
“I think the crowd disliked his efforts”, said Djokovic.
“That’s when I’m happy with myself and proud of myself”, Wawrinka said, “when I stay strong with what I want to do”.
But the semi-final was clouded by controversy when 30-year-old Monfils appeared to stop competing in the first set, standing inside the baseline, airily slicing first serves back to Djokovic. During points, Monfils would hit slices or make truly half-hearted, half-swinging strokes, then occasionally smack a 100 miles per hour forehand.
“For sure, people are not really ready to see that”, Monfils said.
“I tried to get inside Novak’s head”, said Monfils.
Somehow, the tactic was effective, for a short while, anyway.
“I was definitely a little bit exhausted, especially in the end”, the 26-year-old Nishikori told reporters. “Any girl would like that, I guess”.
Stan Wawrinka outslugged Japanese sixth seed Kei Nishikori 4-6 7-5 6-4 6-2 in energy-sapping humidity at Flushing Meadows to set up a US Open final against world number one Novak Djokovic. Djokovic has won 19 of 23 previous meetings, but Wawrinka did win their 2015 French Open final for his second Grand Slam title.
Wawrinka powered through hismatch against Nishikori after dropping the first set. Wawrinka got so sweaty his racket flew out of his hand on one point, but he seemed to grow sturdier as the match wore on.
Nishikori had taken the game to his opponent, following up his groundstrokes with regular forays to the net but he was less clinical in the second and allowed Wawrinka to grab a foothold.
“I think everything I do in my life I try to have fun and I try to be creative on the tennis court, outside the tennis court”, explained Monfils. I just tried to, little by little, play a little bit better, a little bit faster, a little bit heavier.
McEnroe, a commentator for ESPN, accused Monfils of not giving his full effort after falling behind 5-0 in a four-set, semifinal loss to the top-seeded Djokovic on Friday, at one calling him “unprofessional” in “one of the greatest lack-of-effort matches in the semifinal of a major that I’ve ever seen”.
Wawrinka has spent almost twice as long on court as Djokovic has so far: a little under 18 hours vs. a little under 9 hours.
In addition to that epic five-setter, he’s played three four-setters.
After taking the third and breaking Nishkori at love for a 2-0 lead in the fourth, Wawrinka appeared to be on his way. Nope. In a blink, Monfils awoke.
On Saturday morning, hours before the match, Djokovic clutched at his back during a practice session in Ashe.
Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, left, greets Gael Monfils, of France, after winning their semifinal match of the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Friday, Sept. 9, 2016, in NY. Later, it was time for help with the right shoulder. “So I don’t have any concerns”.
On some points Monfils looked like he was barely trying, only to come up with a brilliant victor the next.
He believes he was right to adapt his tactics and that it illustrated just what a competitive player he remains despite many in the sport viewing him as an unfulfilled talent. Perhaps. But Djokovic showed his own signs of distress in the tough conditions.
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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.
