Djokovic urges organisers to act after feeling the heat in Arthur Ashe ‘sauna’

Novak Djokovic called on US Open organisers to find a solution to the humidity problems in Arthur Ashe Stadium after sweating his way through to the semi-finals.

The Wimbledon champion has struggled in the unusually extreme conditions in New York this year and was again in discomfort during a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Australian John Millman that lasted nearly three hours.

Both Roger Federer and John Isner suggested the roof structure added to Ashe two years ago has made conditions more stifling, with Federer complaining of not being able to get any air during his shock defeat by Millman. Djokovic, pictured, for whom this was an 11th consecutive quarter-final victory, said: “I personally have never sweated as much as I have here.

“I have to take at least ten shirts for every match. It’s literally after two games you’re soaking. And Roger, he never sweats that much. But we saw him a couple of nights ago.

“I think that this tournament needs to address this. Because whether it’s night or day, we just don’t have air down there. “It feels like a sauna. This has been definitely the toughest US Open in the last ten years that I have played in in terms of conditions.” Djokovic next faces Kei Nishikori in a repeat of the 2014 semi-final which he lost. Nishikori earlier helped make Japanese history by turning the tables on Marin Cilic, winning a rematch of the 2014 final 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 6-4 to make the last four at Flushing Meadows for the third time.

Nishikori followed Naomi Osaka on Arthur Ashe and victories for both made it the first time in the Open era that Japan has been represented in the semi-finals of both the main draws.