ESPN tennis analyst LZ Granderson must be a serious sucker if he was this disappointed about Gael Monfils’ loss to Novak Djokovic in the semifinals of the US Open on Friday.
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World number one and defending champion Djokovic prevailed 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-2 in a weird semi-final last night that saw 10th-seeded Monfils roundly booed and accused of not trying.
“I think the crowd disliked his efforts”, said Djokovic. He’s in the final, which is all that ultimately matters, but he didn’t have to play in the second round because Jan Vesely was unable to play due to injury, followed by Mikhail Youzhny retiring late in the first set of their third-round match and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga retiring after two sets in the quarterfinals.
Novak Djokovic finally was forced to break sweat at the US Open as Gael Monfils pushed him all the way in an extraordinary semi final at Flushing Meadows. Monfils twice broke Djokovic’s serve to build a 5-2 lead. “To be in the final is something insane”.
Monfils saved three break points in the ninth game before clinching the set, celebrating his lifeline with a mighty roar.
Even Djokovic’s trademark steadiness was challenged under the circumstances before he escaped a budding marathon with a 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 victory that was more taxing than the score would indicate.
Not surprisingly, Monfils was unable to create a serious momentum swing, double-faulting twice to set up double break point.
“I am always ready when I’m happy on the court so let’s see what’s going to happen”.
At one stage, the Frenchman even called for a can of cola to help summon an extra level of energy while Djokovic went into Incredible Hulk mode by ripping off his shirt in frustration on dropping the third set. Monfils losing to the world’s No. 1 player, who has already won two grand slam events this year and is 12-0 against Monfils all-time, should be expected, not a letdown.
“He was playing very good from he beginning, dictating, not giving me any time to get my game”.
Treatment for a second time in the match came at the change of ends as the trainer worked on Djokovic’s shoulder and with the humid conditions taking their toll the match ticked into a third hour.
Bottom line, though, was Djokovic got the win. He had just one ace in the four sets and finished with seven double-faults.
Coco Vandeweghe, of the United States, top left, returns a shot alongside partner Rajeev Ram, of the United States, to Laura Siegemund, of Germany, and Mate Pavic, of Croatia during the mixed doubles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Friday, Sept. 9, 2016, in NY. Roger (Federer), Novak, Rafa (Nada) they are awesome champions. Nishikori needed five sets and four hours to get past Murray, while Wawrinka needed three hours and played past 1 a.m. into Thursday morning against Juan Martin del Potro.
He had begun the day having had one of the stranger draws to the semifinals, with one opponent withdrawing before a ball was struck and two more retiring during the match.
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“I thought, at times, that he was maybe behaving a little bit – for some terms and judgments – unacceptable”, Djokovic said. “Any girl would like that, I guess”. “To play Novak in the final.is going to be something special”.
