Weary Djokovic still too hot to handle
● Bathroom break causes controversy as Serbian sees off Sousa in straight sets
Novak Djokovic appeared to struggle with the heat again at the US Open last night but came through an intense clash with Joao Sousa in straight sets to reach the quarter-finals.
Djokovic took a long bathroom break after the second set, much to Sousa’s annoyance, and then went off court again early in the third set after calling for the doctor.
But the sixth seed did not face too many hairy moments in a 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 victory that took exactly two hours.
Djokovic said: “I’m very happy to get this one done in straight sets. It was much more difficult than the score indicated. Credit to Joao for fighting, he brought a lot of intensity on the court.
“It was very tough conditions, especially the first hour and a half. We are putting in all the work but sometimes you just have to survive.”
The extreme heat policy was again in action, with temperatures climbing over 30C and significant humidity, meaning a ten-minute break between the third and fourth sets, although this match did not get that far.
After a relatively comfortable first set, Djokovic found himself in trouble at the start of the second as Sousa, the first Portuguese player ever to reach the fourth round of a grand slam, broke for a 2-1
lead. The 13-time grand slam champion hit straight back and went on to take the set but was clearly not enjoying himself in the heat, although his struggles were not as severe
as during his first-round clash with Marton Fucsovics.
Sousa, a fiery presence, took exception to Djokovic’s lengthy bathroom break, and was then left sitting alone on court while his opponent consulted the doctor, but ultimately he could not find the shots to hurt him where it mattered.
Djokovic will face the winner of the late-night clash between Roger Federer and John Millman, while also through to the last eight is Japan’s Kei Nishikori.
The 21st seed defeated Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 and could next face a rematch of the 2014 final, which he lost to Marin Cilic.
Nishikori missed this tournament last year and the Australian Open in January because of a wrist injury and dropped down to the second-tier Challenger Tour to begin his path back.
He said: “I was playing one match at a time because I didn’t have any confidence and I was still worried about my wrist.
“The clay-court season was great then first time going to the quarter-finals in Wimbledon. It’s going well this year.”
Meanwhile, Naomi Osaka reached her first grand slam quarter-final with victory over fellow 20-year-old Aryna Sabalenka.
In one of the most highlyanticipated women’s matches of the tournament between two players who are expected to face each other many more times on the big stage, it was Japanese-american Osaka who prevailed 6-3, 2-6, 6-4.
Sabalenka saved three match points in the final game and had a point for 5-5 only to double fault on Osaka’s fourth chance.
Last year’s women’s finalist Madison Keys raced through to the last eight, defeating Dominika Cibulkova 6-1, 6-3. The 14th seed, who lost to Sloane Stephens in the final 12 months ago, hit 25 winners, including six aces, compared to seven for the Slovakian.