WAWRINKA FIRST TO MAKE FINAL FOUR
Swiss star makes short work of Kevin Anderson in 6-1, 6-3 victory,
Trailing 4-2 in the first set, Tomas Berdych was a point from earning an important service break against Novak Djokovic.
The world’s top-ranked player slipped after he served, setting Berdych up to deliver a winner and seize momentum in the match’s early stages. But Berdych’s return sailed long, costing him a game that would later prove crucial in a Rogers Cup quarter-final that Djokovic would win 7-6, 6-3.
Djokovic looked vulnerable early, but rallied late to keep alive the possibility of a high-stakes semifinal against Milos Raonic on Saturday.
But Gael Monfils had other plans, spoiling the matchup fans and organizers had anticipated by taking down Raonic 6-4, 6-4 in the final match of the night.
Until now Djokovic, the tournament’s top seed, and Berdych, the fifth seed, had been rivals and peers in the same way Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova are. They’re both top 10 pros, but the gap is noticeable and stubborn.
Entering Friday, Djokovic had won 24 of their 26 previous meetings, dropping only a Wimbledon semifinal in 2010 and the Rome Masters quarter-final in 2013. Since then, Djokovic has won 11 straight head-to-heads, losing just two sets.
Crammed into the schedule between Wimbledon and the Rio Olympics, the Rogers Cup stood out as a tournament stars could skip if they aimed to stay fresh in late summer. Wimbledon champ Andy Murray opted out first, followed quickly by Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
With each high-profile withdrawal, Djokovic and Richmond Hill’s Milos Raonic assumed more of the tournament’s marketing burden. Even as big names dropped out, organizers said ticket sales outpaced last year, with many customers mobilized by Raonic’s run to this year’s Wimbledon final.
Ideally Raonic and Djokovic would have occupied opposite ends of the draw, with each passing day leading to a Sunday final between the two biggest attractions. Both men’s images adorn pillars outside the Aviva Centre, and the largest crowds of the tournament have gathered during their matches. Friday night, a nearfull centre court watched Djokovic defeat Berdych, and a standingroom-only crowd witnessed Raonic take on Monfils.
But the moment Raonic and Djokovic wound up on the same side of the draw it became clear a Saturday night semifinal might become the tournament’s main event. No such luck.
Early on Djokovic’s 25th victory over Berdych seemed assured. He jumped to a 5-2 lead, but then couldn’t close Berdych out.
Berdych won a service game, then broke Djokovic to close the gap further. Djokovic would need a tiebreaker and more than an hour to wrest the first set from Berdych.
Raonic and Monfils had faced of four times before Friday, with each man winning two matches.
Monfils had played a grueling, three-set match in the afternoon heat Thursday, while Raonic dispatched Jared Donaldson in just 70 minutes. But the Frenchman also entered Friday with an eight-match winning streak and the momentum gained in winning the Citi Open in Washington D.C. last week. Make that nine, after Friday night’s upset.