Djokovic beats heat, Sousa to advance
NEW YORK — Facing much more resistance from the 90 degree heat and 50 percent humidity than his outclassed opponent, Novak Djokovic figures he can count on cooler conditions during a night match at the U.S. Open his next time out.
Djokovic left the court for a medical timeout — the second time during the tournament he’s sought help from a doctor because of harsh weather — during what was an otherwise straightforward 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 win over 68th-ranked Joao Sousa of Portugal on Monday in the fourth round at Flushing Meadows.
“I’m not 21 anymore. That was 10 years ago. I still don’t feel old. But at the same time, there is a little biological clock that is not really working in your favor,” the No. 6-seeded Djokovic said. “Sometimes, you just have to survive.”
He reached the quarterfinals for an 11th consecutive appearance in New York as he bids for a third Open championship and 14th Grand Slam trophy.
Djokovic, who’s coming off a title at Wimbledon, wasn’t at the Open a year ago, when he missed the last half of the season because of an injured right elbow that eventually was surgically repaired this February.
Asked whether he thought during that time away about returning to the height of his powers, Djokovic replied: “I have imagined. I have hoped for. I have prayed for that.”
He improved to 28-0 at the Open against opponents ranked outside the top 50. Another reason it wasn’t surprising the way things went Monday: Djokovic is now 5-0 against Sousa, taking all 14 sets they’ve played against each other.
The heat is much tougher on Djokovic, who showed the same blank expression, rosy cheeks and sweatsoaked shirt as during his first-round match last week. That was the first time in tournament history that the U.S. Open created an extreme heat policy for men’s matches — they can opt for a 10-minute break between the third and fourth sets — similar to what’s standard on the women’s tour.