US OPEN
New York, Sep 1: Novak Djokovic was cruising along with a big early lead in his U.S. Open fourth-round match on Sunday night when his neck started bothering him.
That didn’t stop Djokovic from dominating 144th-ranked qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 to reach his record 64th Grand Slam quarterfinal.
“What gives me a lot of encouragement right now, and positivity, is the way I played tonight,” Djokovic said. “Best performance of the tournament so far. Hopefully I can keep that going.”
Djokovic was ahead 4-0, 15-love when he hit a nicely angled volley winner to go up 30-love in that game.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion immediately grabbed at the back of his neck and started turning his head.
The 38-year-old Djokovic kept trying to stretch his neck or flex his right shoulder between points, and he went on to drop that game and the next one, too. But he soon regained the upper hand against Struff, who beat Frances Tiafoe in the previous round and was trying to get to a major quarterfinal for the first time.
After improving to 8-0 against Struff, Djokovic now carries a 10-0 head-to-head record into his quarterfinal on Tuesday against 2024 U.S. Open runner-up Taylor Fritz.“I expect players that never won against me to come out on the court and try something different and try to make me feel maybe uncomfortable and play more aggressive, or not, whatever,” Djokovic said.
“I don’t think there’s going to be any major changes with Taylor, because, obviously, you stick to the kind of a game plan that got you to the quarters, and you know what your strengths are … which for him obviously is serve and forehand.”
The No. 4-seeded Fritz, the last American man in the bracket, moved into the quarterfinals with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 victory Sunday against No. 21 Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic.
“The thing is, I think it’s spanned over so many years. The first almost seven or eight times I played him, I probably just wasn’t a good enough player to really have that much of a chance unless I have the best day ever and he has a bad day,” Fritz said. “Only the last couple times we’ve played, I think, I’ve been this just better player that can, I’d say, compete and have chances.”
After Djokovic finished off that opening set against Struff, he was visited by a trainer for treatment during the ensuing changeover. Djokovic was given a massage to his neck and shoulder.
If he was still in discomfort, his play wasn’t really affected at all.
During the break after that set, Djokovic had his right forearm massaged. But again, there were no signs of trouble when the ball was in play.Djokovic had trainers work on him earlier in the tournament, too, including for blisters on a foot in the first round and for a lower-back issue in the third.
He’s won four championships in New York, most recently in 2023. (AP)
For Djokovic, the immediate concern will be managing his physical niggles as the tournament enters its decisive stages. The Serbian has dealt with blisters, back issues, and now a stiff neck in the space of a week, yet his resilience and ability to compartmentalise discomfort continue to set him apart.
With Fritz standing between him and another semifinal, the 24-time major winner will look to draw upon both his experience and impeccable record against the American.
As he chases a fifth crown at Flushing Meadows and the chance to further stretch his already staggering legacy, Djokovic’s path may not be without obstacles, but his form and fighting spirit suggest he remains the man to beat in New York.
Despite the aches and strains that have followed him through this US Open campaign, Djokovic has once again shown why he thrives under pressure. Each test, whether physical or tactical, seems to sharpen his focus rather than weaken it. (PTI)