Edmund raced out of the blocks, breaking for 3-2, and, while he came under pressure when serving out, he converted a third set point to move one frame clear.
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The top-seeded Djokovic hasn’t been tested at all in this Open – and actually hadn’t played much in the previous two rounds – but still breezed past Great Britain’s Kyle Edmund, 6-2, 6-1, 6-4.
After about 75 minutes Djokovic led by two sets and a break. His second-round opponent, Jiri Vesely, withdrew before the match with arm trouble. The last time they met was in the quarter-final of the Indian Wells Masters earlier this year, where the Serb won 7-6, 7-6. Djokovic, who has won their last two matches and 11 of the last 12, should have plenty of confidence heading into the next one.
NADAL VS. POUILLE: Rafael Nadal has been playing about as well as can be so far in NY heading into his match against No. 24 Lucas Pouille of France, dropping only 20 games – his lowest total through three matches at the U.S. Open, which he won in 2010 and 2013.
On the men’s side of the draw, Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gael Monfils progressed to the last eight after beating Jack Sock and Marcos Baghdatis respectively. The trio that time was Jean Borotra, Jacques Brugnon and Rene Lacoste, all members of France’s famed “Four Musketeers” group of tennis stars in the 1920s and 1930s.
It means the 21-year-old has reached the fourth round of a grand slam for the first time and his reward is a showdown with Djokovic, the 12-time major champion and top seed in NY.
Novak Djokovic did his part late Sunday evening on the same court Rafa Nadal failed.
To be fair, Kerber and 14th-seeded Kvitova were handed a tough act to follow with the capacity Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd left buzzing about Frenchman Lucas Pouille’s upset win over Rafael Nadal in a five-set thriller that had an hour earlier closed out the day session.
Also, Djokovic received medical attention on his “right” hand during the match.
Edmund moved 6-3 ahead and, while Isner saved two match points to make his opponent serve out, the Briton obliged, as a forehand victor confirmed his thrilling victory in two hours and 43 minutes.
When it ended, Pouille dropped on his back, his tongue sticking out.
Novak Djokovic takes on Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the men’s singles quarter-final clash of the 2016 US Open on Wednesday (7 September). This U.S. Open has been no different.
Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, hits a return shot to Kyle Edmund, of Britain, during the fourth round of the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Sunday, Sept. 4, 2016, in NY.
“I’m sorry you guys watching didn’t get to see a full match”.
Few players in the world have to look after their bodies like Nadal and throughout the game it was clear that the Spaniard wanted to spend as little time on the court as possible, so in order to put the minimal amount of strain on his body.
Into the tie-break, Edmund slapped a short forehand into the net but again responded as a superb return forced Isner to spurn a half-volley.
The Serbian athlete triumphed over the Brit 6-2, 6-1, 6-4, on Sunday, advancing to the quarterfinals.
Sevastova became the first Latvian woman in 22 years to reach a grand slam quarter-final when she beat British 13th seed Johanna Konta 6-4, 7-5.
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Baghdatis, the runner-up at the 2006 Australian Open, sat in his sideline chair after falling behind 4-1 in the second set and fiddled with his phone, holding it near a white towel that was on his lap.
