As at Wimbledon in the final (5-7, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3), Matteo Berrettini, in New York, managed to pull off the first round with a fierce struggle before seeing the Djokovic express parade (6 -7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3). As in the 1st round against the Danish Holger Rune, then in the 3rd round against the Japanese Kie Nishikori, Novak Djokovic gave up the 1st round before ending up imposing his law 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 by letting an impression of power, of physical and tactical domination prevail. The Serbian has just chained a 26th consecutive Grand Slam victory this season. He only has two steps left to climb to complete the crazy challenge of a calendar Grand Slam forgotten on the circuit since Rod Laver in 1969. Against Berretteni, he delivered his most successful performance in New York this year both he had,during the previous matches, given the impression of struggling, a little crushed by the challenge, tied up by his own impatience and his difficulty in assembling his game. He was in pain, struggling to give consistency and radiance to his game.
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Against Berrettini, Djokovic has, in the last three sets, made Djokovic. “
It was a great game, a lot of energy on and off the pitch. Matteo is a great player, an established Top 10 player. Every time we go up against each other it's a close battle. When I lost the first set I managed to forget it and move on, to be in the present moment and I think I managed to block from the start of the second set (started by a shutout, before quickly making the break to lead 3-0). I took my tennis to a different level. It was the best three sets of tennis I've played so far in the tournament, that's for sure. I think it was a great performance overall
”.To resist Berrettini, “
the hammer in tennis, one of the greatest forehand hitters and serve, difficult to face
”(17 aces; 60% of points scored on his 1st serve). Djokovic was able to rely on 74% first serve points (12 aces) and hit 44 winning shots. He committed 15 unforced errors less than his opponent (43).
He pocketed a 4th victory in as many games against the Italian, composing his 80th success at the US Open. It was in New York that he recorded the most Grand Slam semi-finals (12), ahead of Roland Garros (11), Wimbledon (9) and the Australian Open (9). But he only has three titles in New York (2011, 2015, 2018) and the one that shines this year is worth gold. The tennis world is delighted with the surprises that sparkle in a tournament crossed by the refreshing breath of a new wave and is passionate about the historic challenge of the Serbian (34 years old).
For a place in the final of the US Open Novak Djokovic now has an appointment with Alexander Zverev (no.4), rematch of the Tokyo Olympic semi-final (won 1-6, 6-3, 6-1 by German). The world n ° 1 presents: “He is in very good shape, he wins a lot. After Wimbledon (eliminated in the round of 16 by Auger-Aliassime), I don't think he lost a single match. By winning gold at the Olympics, winning in Cincinnati comfortably enough, making it to the semi-finals here (just one set lost against Jack Sock in round 3) ... We played a month ago in Tokyo. I had a set and a break in advance and he managed to turn the situation around. It's the semi-final of a Grand Slam, he's one of the best players in the world and I'm pumped up. The bigger the challenge,the more glory there is in overcoming it… ”Novak Djokovic recovered. At the foot of the last two steps. Vertigo…
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