Novak Djokovic cruised through to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open but Rafael Nadal suffered a shock defeat to Lucas Pouille on Sunday. Edmund’s exit means, Andy Murray is the only Briton left in the tournament.
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“British tennis is improving – but there is a way to go”, says Kevin Mitchell of The Guardian.
What a night it was, what a match, what a result.
He broke back straightaway and although Edmund battled to hold serve in the eighth game, the world No 1 was not prepared to settle for a tiebreak and broke him to love to seal the match. That difference helped the victor overcome seven double-faults. He put 63% of his first serves and won only 68% points off them as compared to the French player, who while putting in only 53% of his first serves, raked a substantially higher margin of points off them – 83%.
That he did. Yet while Djokovic looked quite good for the first two sets against the 84th-ranked Edmund, and again at the very end, there was that interlude that included the trip from the trainer at 2-1 in the last set.
Djokovic took just 69 minutes to take a two-set lead, wrapping up the second with an outrageous dropshot and then a superb lob.
The fourth set was the most dramatic but Edmund never cowered and instead it was Isner who lost his cool at 5-4, appealing his opponent’s ace only to find all his challenges were used up. Djokovic had played just six total games in his previous two matches because one opponent withdrew and the other retired in the first set. The cheers for him had turned from encouragement to sympathy.
Next up for Djokovic is a showdown with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarterfinals Tuesday.
The treatment Djokovic received on his elbow had also looked painful. At last, he was in the game, after almost an hour and a half of a one-sided contest. Djokovic hit long – twice. Furthermore, he doesn’t need to execute that all the time, Edmund explained. As the clock ticked past midnight, the inevitable dawned and then was made concrete. “So coming into the second week of a grand slam, it’s exactly where I want to be”. He’s only 21. It’s his first Arthur Ashe match so he deserves applause. It’s going to be no different when I play him on Sunday. “So I’m really glad to be back”, Djokovic said in an on-court interview. Playing the world No1 is always going to be tough.
“I learned a lot from tonight”, Edmund said.
“It is true that when I had to stop I was playing great”.
“I’m getting better and better each time at that”. But the Brit was superb on his own serve throughout the first set and did not even allow the American to get to deuce until the last game as he won it 6-4. That’s the standard he’s putting out there.
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“You see how well Djokovic moves”. I’ve got to get better at my movement.
