Gael Monfils faces world number one Novak Djokovic on Friday for a place in the US Open final determined to shed his image as the court jester of tennis.
Advertisement
Monfils, who reached his second career grand slam semi-final and first since 2008 in Roland Garros, will meet either top seed Novak Djokovic or ninth-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the third Frenchman in the last eight at Flushing Meadows.
The first two sets of their quarterfinal went Djokovic’s way, 6-3, 6-2.
It was the third time in five matches that an opponent’s injury has worked to Djokovic’s advantage, after his walkover into the third round where Mikhail Youzhny retired after just six games.
Although Djokovic veat Monfils in straight sets at the Montreal Masters, five of the Serb’s 12 wins over Monfils have been in straight sets, meaning that Djokovic has had to make a significant effort to trump Monfils on court, and that the Frenchman is not a particularly easy opponent.
At 142 in the world, del Potro is the lowest ranked player in 25 years to reach the US Open quarters as the 2009 champion battles back from four wrist surgeries that almost spelled the end of his career. Three games later, Woz won 6-0, 6-2 and was into her first major semifinal in two years. And if I’m too insane, it’s not good either. “I was so many times in a particular situation where I had long matches on the road to the semis of a Grand Slam. As tournament progresses, I feel like I’m getting better”, Djokovic said. In the other, two-time runner-up Caroline Wozniacki was a 6-0, 6-2 victor against Anastasija Sevastova, who injured her right ankle in the second game and was never able to get going.
Two years ago, he led Roger Federer by two sets to love and held two match points before he allowed the Swiss legend to fight back and win an epic quarter-final.
“Grand Slams are valued the most in our sport as tournaments historically, so these are the tournaments where I want to do well and do my best”, Djokovic said before the tournament began. “I think he’s a great champion.
He’s one of the few players that I will definitely pay a ticket to watch”, Djokovic said.
We’re nearly at the end of the US Open Tennis Championships and the men have now been whittled down from 128 players to the final four, all of whom are seeded here.
Wozniacki won easily to set up a semi-final against German second seed Angelique Kerber, who beat Italy’s Roberta Vinci 7-5 6-0.
“I’d say Novak would be the favourite”, said Murray.
Advertisement
And in the final match played on the famous court, men’s doubles third seeds and 16-time Grand slam champions Bob and Mike Bryan were knocked out by Spanish duo Marc Lopez and Feliciano Lopez 7-6 (7-2) 4-6 6-3 in the fourth round. That’s not going to happen, as Djokovic wins this match in four sets.
