Novak Djokovic vs Gael Monfils US Open preview
Novak Djokovic has been almost the forgotten man in this year’s US Open draw.
But while the spotlight has remained firmly on world No. 1 Rafael Nadal and 16-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer and their respective paths to the final, the third seed has been quietly carving his way through the field too.
After a five-set battle with Serbian counterpart Viktor Troicki in the first round, Djokovic hasn’t dropped a set, sending veteran American James Blake packing in the third round and then dashing 19th seed Mardy Fish’s hopes of adding a final-eight berth at US Open to his impressive hard court summer.
Djokovic, who came to the attention of the Flushing Meadows crowd with his post-match impressions of fellow players in 2007, now takes on another of tennis’ entertainers in Gael Monfils as he seeks to book a place in the semi-finals in New York for the fourth consecutive year.
For all the raw talent Monfils has at his disposal, this is the first time the 6ft 4in-Frenchman has reached the final eight at Flushing Meadows, where he’s been ousted in the fourth round for the previous two years.
Djokovic takes a definite edge into this quarter-final, having won all four of their previous matches, but those victories have rarely come easily for the 2008 Australian Open champion, and that’s a fact that hasn’t escaped him either.
“Most of our matches were very long, a lot of long rallies, a lot of sliding, a lot of athleticism on the court. He's physically one of the most prepared and strongest guys on the tour. So, yeah, we have a lot of respect for each other,” Djokovic said of Monfils.
“We met a lot of times in the tournaments, so it's no secret in our games. I guess he's kind of flashy. If he starts playing well, he can beat anyone, you know, because he's so fast and so athletic and strong that he can get a lot of balls back. I just have to be ready and kind of patient and wait for my chances.”
Monfils may enjoy throwing his share of party tricks into his game, and there’s no doubt about his ability to cover the court either, but there can also be little doubt that Djokovic is the more consistent of the two, and his more offensive baseline style and lack of any major c***k in his armour should make it tough for Monfils to extend his US Open run any further.
Prediction: Djokovic in straight sets.
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