New York: Only a dozen unforced errors. Every shot crisp in windy conditions. Top-ranked Novak Djokovic had all parts of his game working while advancing to the semifinals of the Western & Southern Open.
Djokovic had no problems with his creaky neck or the swirling winds during a 6-3 6-1 victory on Wednesday over Jan-Lennard Struff that was by far his best showing of the week. So far, no rust at all after the long layoff from competitive tennis.
“Everything was worked on in the last six months, I had plenty of time,” Djokovic said. “I worked on every single thing. It’s great it’s paying off so early after the break.”
Djokovic tested positive for COVID-19 after exhibition matches he organised in Serbia and Croatia in June with no social distancing. In his match Monday against Ricardas Berankis, Djokovic had his sore neck massaged twice by a trainer during a 7-6 (2) 6-4 victory that included seven double faults. The neck has gotten better, and so has his overall game.
“Right now it’s not a concern,” he said. “It’s still not 100 per cent but it’s close to that. I’ve been gaining more range in my movement of the neck every single day, so no complaints.”
In the semifinals, he’ll face Roberto Bautista Agut, who knocked out defending champion Daniil Medvedev earlier in the day. Medvedev failed to close it out in the second set, and Bautista Agut rallied for a 1-6 6-4 6-3 victory that eliminated yet another top player out of the tune-up tournament for the US Open.
Djokovic is the only player left in the tournament with an ATP Masters 1000 title to his credit.
Osaka pulls out
Fourth-seeded Naomi Osaka reached the semifinals of the Western & Southern Open and withdrew a few hours later in a call for racial justice, drawing quick support from other players.
Soon after, the whole tournament was put on hold for a day.
“As a sport, tennis is collectively taking a stance against racial inequality and social injustice that once again has been thrust to the forefront in the United States. The USTA, ATP Tour, and WTA have decided to recognise this moment in time by pausing tournament play at the Western & Southern Open on Thursday, August 27,” the three organisations said in a statement on Wednesday.
Osaka, the Japanese star and last Top 10 seed in the women’s bracket, joined professional athletes in basketball, baseball and soccer in demanding change after Jacob Blake was shot by police.
Osaka tweeted that as a Black woman, she feels compelled to pull out of the tournament to put a focus on police shooting Black people.
“I don’t expect anything drastic to happen with me not playing, but if I can get a conversation started in a majority white sport I consider that a step in the right direction,” Osaka tweeted.
“Watching the continued genocide of Black people at the hand of the police is honestly making me sick to my stomach.
Osaka beat No. 12 Anett Kontaveit 4-6 6-2 7-5 on Wednesday afternoon, reaching the semifinals as the only Top 10 player left in the bracket. Late Wednesday, she was still scheduled to play No. 14 Elise Mertens in the semifinals. (PTI)
