Not sure that the world No. 1 came out light and completely satisfied with this third round in New York won small against Kei Nishikori. Admittedly, he did not in the end really tremble, mastering the debates over the last two sets quietly enough to win in four sets (6-7 [4], 6-3, 6-3, 6-2), but it was not always the treat. In a match of hollows and bumps, without many unforgettable passages, the Serbian alternated inconstancy and resilience on the first two sets and much more accuracy on the last two.
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His first run, in particular, was not convincing. Dominated in aggressiveness, tossed on the backhand diagonal by a player who has not beaten him for seven years and remained on fifteen defeats in a row, including a last rouste (6-2, 6-0) at the Tokyo Olympics, ” Nole ”appeared inside, a little slow at times, logically ceding the set to the tie-break, getting the wrong side on a penalty volley at 4-4 in the deciding game.
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Even in an average day, Djokovic did not panic
Galloping behind the great history of world tennis, the “Djoker” is aiming for a 21st Major in New York, but above all for the immense calendar Grand Slam, more achieved since Rod Laver in 1969. The meeting is majestic, sublime and the pressure goes with it without a doubt. But, even on an average day, Djokovic did not panic.
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With a break ahead of a little touching backhand at the start of the second set, the world No. 1 then had the immense guts to push back seven break points on two consecutive service games, not all well negotiated. moreover by Nishikori. In a match where unforced errors fell like hail on the first two hours of the match (63, including 33 for Djokovic in straight sets), the Serbian glued logically, without being dashing.
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Better cadence for Djokovic at the end of the match
The rest would be much better, without however reaching the transcendent. Thanks to a good quality of first ball, Djokovic finally appeared more in control at the start of the third set. Opposite, the Japanese, former world No. 4, now pushed back to 56th place by an elbow operation and other injuries, seemed to falter physically.
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But even there, “Nole” did not make it easy, released his break ahead of 4-2, while he was leading 40-0 and that we thought Nishikori very far from the account now. Moreover, on the next game, the Japanese paid his effort and the Serbian completed the set without flamboyance, but with a few sequences well felt in the backhand which suggested that, perhaps, he kept a little under the sole.
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More and more tempted by the short course
Saturday, Djokovic was not in the irresistible, but he finished much better and fresher than Nishikori. More and more tempted by the short course as the match progressed, the 2014 US Open finalist no longer had the canes and the Serbian, him, a keen knowledge to negotiate the key points. More fluid, more comfortable, more player also in the fourth set, including with the public, Djokovic broke at 2-2 to take cover and ended the match on a tennis much better cadenced and closer to his standards. . As if to reassure himself, before heading towards a 1/8 which will offer him the winner of the match between the American qualifier Jenson Brooksby and the Russian Aslan Karatsev.
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