No.1 cruises into 16
Top seed Djokovic makes US Open pre-quarters
New York, Sept. 5: Novak Djokovic sailed into the Last 16 of the US Open on Friday as off-court intrigue forced the delay of a men’s singles match over issues linked to coronavirus. Djokovic outclassed Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff 6
3, 6-3, 6-1 in a routine victory for the world number one, who is chasing an 18th Grand Slam singles title.
Far from routine was a last-minute attempt by New York health officials to prevent France’s Adrian Mannarino from playing his last-32 encounter against Alexander Zverev.
The intervention led to a back and forth between tournament organisers and the state government and resulted in the match, which Zverev won in four sets, starting over three hours late.
“It was a weird situation for me,” said Mannarino, one of 11 players put under enhanced safety protocols earlier this week after compatriot Benoit Paire was withdrawn from the tournament after testing Covid-19 positive.
“I was just laying on the sofa still trying to be focused just in case I would go on court,” he said, following Zverev’s 6-7 (4/7), 6-4,
6-2, 6-2 victory. Zverev will now play unseeded Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the last 16 while Djokovic will play Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta for a place in the quarterfinals.
TSITSIPAS STUNNED
In the men’s draw, Croatia's 27th seed Borna Coric staged a remarkable Houdini act to stun fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in a
4hr 36min late-night thriller.
Coric appeared to be heading for certain defeat after Tsitsipas, leading by two sets to one, opened up a 5-1 lead in the fourth.
But Coric rallied superbly, saving six match points and fighting back to take the set 7-5 to force a decider. Tsitsipas went a break up once more in the fifth but couldn't press home the advantage as Coric forced a tie break before clinching a 6-7 (2/7), 6-4, 4-6,
7-5, 7-6 (7/4) win. Twelfth seed Denis Shapovalov recovered from 5-2 down in the fourth set to pip American number 19 seed Taylor Fritz 3-6,
6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2 Fritz, 22 was within two points of victory before the 21-year-old Shapovalov completed a remarkable comeback.