Third seed Stan Warwinka won the third set from top-seeded defending champion Novak Djokovic 7-5 to move within one set of victory in the U.S. Open men’s final on Sunday.
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The finalists traded breaks in the third set with Warwinka striking first in the second game for a 2-0 lead, before Djokovic, who had been 2-of-12 on converting break point chances, cashed one in to bring the set back on serve at 3-2.
At the 2015 Australian Open, Djokovic needed another five sets to win their semi-final.
Wawrinka’s three-game lead was cancelled out in the third set as Djokovic gritted his teeth, but the Swiss broke again in the final game to take the lead.
Caroline Garcia, of France, lower right, slaps hands with Kristina Mladenovic, of France, after scoring a point against Lucie Safarova, of the Czech Republic, left, and Bethanie Mattek-Sands, of the United States, during the. But Djokovic asked for the trainer and immediately took both his shoes off, gesturing to his toes, which were then taped.
Sept 11, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Novak Djokovic of Serbia hits to Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland in …
Earlier, Djokovic addressed Wawrinka, saying, “This has been absolutely deserved today”.
Not until the Australian Open in January will Djokovic, who has spoken of his desire to match Federer’s leading men’s haul of 17 majors, get his next opportunity to collect a 13th grand slam title. Indeed he sometimes suffers baffling losses, but the deeper he progresses at events, the more unsafe he becomes: He has won his last 11 finals.
He had won just four times in 23 matches against Djokovic before Sunday, but one of those wins happened to be the French Open final in 2015.
But Kerber was too much for Pliskova in the final and earned her first ever US Open and second ever Grand Slam title. Reigning Wimbledon champion Andy Murray is a great player, but Djokovic has the measure of him.
But in the tiebreaker, a backhand passing shot by Djokovic put him up 3-1, and he won the next four points to close out the set.
This was the first time since round one Djokovic had not been ahead in sets but more unnerving was that he had lost control, Wawrinka unleashing at will while his opponent was left protesting at his box and smiling in disbelief.
In the girls’ doubles final Saturday, the US team of Jada Hart and Ena Shibahara defeated fellow Americans Day and Caroline Dolehide 4-6, 6-2, 13-11.
The score of this bruising, 3-hour, 55-minute match: 6-7 (1), 6-4, 7-5, 6-3. Collins, a two-time NCAA singles champion, beat Michigan’s Ronit Yurovsky, 6-2, 6-4, while Kwiatkowski beat Austin Smith, of Georgia, 6-2, 6-2.
He also saved a thought for the victims of the 9/11 attacks with the final played on the 15th anniversary of the atrocity.
“To have this result here has been incredible”, Mattek-Sands told the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd during the trophy ceremony, her eyes welling with tears and her voice choking on her words.
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They trailed by a set and a break on Sunday before coming all the way back.
