There is one opponent, however, who knows as well as anybody what it now takes to beat the world No 1 on the biggest stages.
Advertisement
Djokovic will take on either Swiss third seed Stan Wawrinka or sixth-seeded Japanese Kei Nishikori in Sunday’s final in his bid to become the first back-to-back victor at Flushing Meadows since Roger Federer won four straight from 2004.
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.
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.
As ESPN.com’s Carl Bialik noted,”Djokovic, who has won five of the past seven majors, is especially dominant over the younger set”. Djokovic has won 19 of 23 previous meetings, but Wawrinka did win their 2015 French Open final for his second Grand Slam title.
As it happens, Novak Djokovic was not upset by Monfils’s tactics. Monfils won three games in a row, before eventually dropping a set for the first time all tournament.
Novak Djokovic vs Stan Wawrinka it is in the men’s singles final.
The Serb then needed treatment on his troublesome right shoulder and took a medical timeout. With Djokovic in possession of three more set points while serving at 5-1, 40-love, Monfils transitioned into something that might have appeared to be an attempt to “tank” – in other words, lose on objective, for who knows what reason – but which he explained afterward was the tennis equivalent of Muhammad Ali’s boxing “rope-a-dope”, absorbing someone else’s best shots and pretending to not be interested in attacking. Djokovic just had to ensure that the rally went on for more than 5/6 strokes, and Monfils would self-destruct. Djokovic raced to a 5-0 lead thanks in part to two games with a pair of double-faults apiece from Monfils.
“I was definitely a little bit exhausted, especially in the end”, Nishikori told reporters. The Frenchman’s strategy worked for a while.
“I am really excited”, he said. I’m very sad to learn that such a legend has criticised me, because at the end what I can say to John is: “I want to be the best”.
Monfils robustly rejected the notion that he did not give his all, saying: “I think I tried my best”. I’m sorry if you think I’m unprofessional but I guess I’m working, I’m learning.
Djokovic described Wawrinka as “a big-match player”. “When I try a little bit to play “original” tennis, that is where he killed me”.
“He started believing in himself”.
“For me, I think I was hitting too short and wasn’t making enough first serves”.
“To play Novak again it will be very special”, he said. He can do it all. He was 5-Love down with his game and he mixed it up. “He can be very risky against anybody”.
Advertisement
Find a way past Gael Monfils, who played outstanding and absurd tennis at the same time, he did, beating the Frenchman in four sets in the semifinal. “He’s the No 1 player, an incredible fighter, an unbelievable player, but I have enough confidence in myself that when I play my best level I can beat him”, Wawrinka said.
