Novak Djokovic has confirmed his role as a favorite at the dress rehearsal for the US Open next week. The world number one reached the quarter-finals of the Masters 1000 tournament in New York on Tuesday with a 6: 2.6: 4 win over the American Tennys Sandgren without losing a set. The Canadian Milos Raonic stopped the run of ex-number 1 Andy Murray with a smooth 6: 2.6: 2.
Raonic meets Dominic Thiem’s conqueror, the Serb Filip Krajinovic, in the quarter-finals. The latter let the Hungarian qualifier Marton Fucsovics flash off with the same result as Thiem the day before. At 6: 2.6: 1, Djokovic’s 28-year-old compatriot needed just over an hour again.
For Djokovic, who celebrated a five-set win over Thiem in the final of this year’s Australian Open, things are going well with regard to the US Open that starts on Monday. “All in all it was a great performance”, the “Djoker” was happy. He felt better than the night before. “Everything is going in the right direction”, the 17-time Grand Slam winner is ready for the US Open.
Daniil Medvedev (RUS-3) and Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE-4) are also doing well for the major tournament. Both reached the round of the last eight with two-set wins over Aljaz Bedene (SLO) and John Isner (USA-16).
Djokovic meets Struff in the New York quarter-finals
In the women’s category, however, superstar Serena Williams suffered a major setback. The 38-year-old American, who finally wants to equalize Margaret Court’s major record with the 24th Grand Slam title at the US Open, was surprisingly defeated by the Greek Maria Sakkari with 7: 5.6: 7 (5) , 1: 6. Williams only two points separated from victory at 5: 3 in the second set, then they gave up the match.
“I should have won, there is no excuse for it”, Williams was accordingly frustrated. Before that, she had received a time warning and also threw the bat into the empty stands due to the corona crisis. Williams even compared their match to a bad date. “It’s like dating a man who you know sucks. It’s like getting rid of this guy. That’s literally what I’m doing out there. “ In addition, the American, who will be born in September 39, also complained of cramps towards the end. It is questionable whether she is currently fit enough to win another major title despite the many rejections.
Early out: Thiem is subject to Krajinovic in New York
Austrian doubles eliminated
From an Austrian point of view, part one of the two New York tournaments did not go as planned. After Thiem’s kick-off, the double specialists Oliver Marach with Raven Klaasen (RSA) and Jürgen Melzer with Edouard Roger-Vasselin (FRA) were eliminated in the round of 16.
The draw for the second act in Flushing Meadows, the US Open, endowed with $ 53.4 million, will take place on Thursday (6:00 p.m. CEST).
(APA / Reuters)
Featured image: Getty Images
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