off the court after being defaulted due to inadvertently striking a
lineswoman with a ball hit in frustration during his Men’s Singles
fourth round match against Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain on Day
Seven of the 2020 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National
Tennis Center on September 6, 2020 in the Queens borough of New
York City. Al Bello/Getty Images/AFP
Novak Djokovic said he was “feeling okay” after
overcoming neck and shoulder troubles to defeat Pablo Carreno Busta
on Wednesday and set up a French Open semi-final showdown with
Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Djokovic beat Spanish 17th seed Carreno Busta 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4
to reach the last four of a major for the 38th time as he chases a
second French Open and 18th Grand Slam title.
However, the world number one required treatment on his upper
left arm after dropping his first set of the tournament on a chilly
autumn evening in Paris.
“I definitely didn’t feel great coming onto the court today, a
few things happened in the warm-up,” said Djokovic.
“I had some neck issues and some shoulder issues. I don’t really
want to get too much into it.
“I’m feeling okay, I’m still in the tournament so I don’t want
to reveal too much. As the match went on, I felt better, didn’t
feel as much pain.”
The Serb now sits two wins away from becoming the first man in
half a century — and only the third in history — to win all four
Slams twice.
His only defeat in 37 matches this year came to Carreno Busta
following his disqualification at the US Open for an angry swipe of
a ball which hit a female line judge squarely in the throat.
Djokovic again looked vulnerable against Carreno Busta, who
twice had chances to break in the second set but could not
capitalise, instead losing his own serve on two occasions.
“For a set and a half he was the better player, dictating the
play,” said Djokovic.
The Serb unleashed a primal roar having fended off two break
points in the first game of the third set and appeared in control
at 3-0 until Carreno Busta clawed back to 3-all.
But the top seed reclaimed the initiative with another break at
4-3 on his way to taking the third set.
Djokovic grew increasingly animated when he missed out a string
of break points early in the fourth set, but he eventually landed
the decisive blow in the seventh game when Carreno Busta pushed a
forehand wide.
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“It was really anybody’s game. It was so close. He had his
chances. I had my chances. It was a very even match even though it
was three sets to one,” said Djokovic.
– Tsitsipas gets revenge – Tsitsipas made his second Grand Slam
semi-final with a straight-sets win over 13th seed Andrey Rublev,
avenging last month’s loss to the Russian in the Hamburg final.
The Greek fifth seed downed Rublev 7-5, 6-2, 6-3 to match his
breakout run at the 2019 Australian Open.
“I’m expecting since a young age to potentially triumph at these
Grand Slams. I’m happy that I’m able to be in a position where I am
today,” said Tsitsipas. “I’m chasing something spectacular.”
“Despite not having a good start and being a break down, I
remembered what a big fighter I am,” he added.
“It’s also about fighting and trying to find solutions in
difficult moments. I managed to put my brain to work.”
Tsitsipas, 22, has now won 15 successive sets at the tournament
having been two sets down to Jaume Munar in the opening round.
However that streak looked in peril when Rublev, also making his
first French Open quarter-final appearance, served for the opening
set at 5-4.
A loose game from Rublev allowed Tsitsipas to recover and he
rattled off four in a row to take the lead.
Tsitsipas, last year’s ATP Finals champion, dominated the second
set to leave Rublev on the brink, profiting from a favourable net
cord to break at 3-2 after carving the opening following a 28-shot
rally.
Only Djokovic has won more than Rublev’s three titles in 2020,
but the world number 15 was powerless to stop a supreme Tsitsipas
who closed out victory inside two hours.
Tsitsipas crunched 35 winners and made just 17 unforced errors.
He holds a 2-3 record against Djokovic going into Friday’s
encounter.
“I expect a really tough match, a tough challenge for both of
us. This is what you expect in the semi-finals of a Grand Slam,”
said Djokovic.
“He’s been playing the tennis of his life in the last 12
months.”
-AFP