Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Sports
  • Football
  • Basketball
  • Motorsports
  • Tennis

Calendar-slam hopeful Djokovic sets up Zverev tie in US Open semi

by French Press Agency - AFP

NEW YORK Sep 09, 2021 - 12:17 pm GMT+3
Serbia's Novak Djokovic hits a return to Italy's Matteo Berrettini during their U.S. Open quarterfinal match, New York, U.S., Sept. 2021. (EPA Photo)
Serbia's Novak Djokovic hits a return to Italy's Matteo Berrettini during their U.S. Open quarterfinal match, New York, U.S., Sept. 2021. (EPA Photo)
by French Press Agency - AFP Sep 09, 2021 12:17 pm
RECOMMENDED
Tennis player Nick Kyrgios (R) leaves the Australian Capital Territory Magistrates Court, Canberra, Australia,Feb. 3, 2023. (EPA Photo)

Tennis bad boy Kyrgios escapes conviction despite pleading guilty

tennis

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic defeated Italy's Matteo Berrettini in the U.S. Open quarterfinal on Wednesday to move within two matches of completing the first men's calendar-year Slam in 52 years.

Top-ranked Djokovic stretched his Grand Slam winning streak to 26 matches by eliminating sixth seed Berrettini 5-7, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 at Arthur Ashe Stadium in a rematch of July's Wimbledon final.

"I think it was a great performance overall," Djokovic said, calling his last three sets "the best three sets I've played in the tournament."

The Serbian booked a semifinal date Friday against Olympic champion Alexander Zverev, who beat Djokovic in the semifinals in Tokyo.

"He's in tremendous form. He has been winning a lot," Djokovic said. "He's one of the best players in the world right now and I'm pumped. The bigger the challenge, the more glory in overcoming it."

Djokovic is trying to become the first man to win all four major titles in the same year since Rod Laver in 1969, but he wasn't ready to ponder the glory of that challenge just yet.

"Only focusing on the next match. Don't ask me about history," Djokovic said. "I'm thinking only about the next match. Step by step."

The 34-year-old Serbian also seeks his fourth U.S. Open title and men's record 21st career Slam trophy, which would lift him one above the mark he shares with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, both absent with injuries.

German fourth seed Zverev, last year's U.S. Open runner-up, reached his fourth career Slam semifinal by eliminating South Africa's 46th-ranked Lloyd Harris 7-6 (8/6), 6-3, 6-4.

Zverev denied Djokovic's bid for a "Golden Slam" sweep of all four major titles plus Olympic gold, but Djokovic leads their all-time rivalry 6-3.

"He's the best player in the world. He's very difficult to beat," Zverev said. "I was the first player to beat him in a very big match this year. That does give you something."

Zverev is on a 16-match win streak that includes a title last month at Cincinnati. Djokovic didn't play between the Olympics and the Open.

Djokovic improved to 4-0 in his rivalry with Berrettini, who was chasing his third Slam semifinal after the 2019 U.S. Open and his career-best Wimbledon runner-up effort.

Berrettini secured the first break with a forehand cross-court winner to seize a 6-5 lead, then squandered three set points before Djokovic sent a forehand wide to surrender a tension-packed first set after 77 minutes.

After dropping the opening set for a third consecutive match, Djokovic broke for a 3-1 lead in the second when Berrettini sent a backhand long, his power struggling to cope with the all-around finesse of Djokovic's game.

Berrettini netted a backhand to surrender a break and the second set and Djokovic broke again in game two of the third and again in the last to claim the set.

A passing forehand winner to break gave Djokovic a 2-0 lead in the fourth set and he held out from there to win in three hours and 27 minutes.

"It was a great match, a lot of energy on the court," Djokovic said.

"When I lost the first set, I managed to forget about it, move on, be in the moment. I was dialed in, locked in from the beginning of the second set and was able to raise my level."

Zverev rolls on

Zverev was down set point in his opening tie-breaker before Harris sent two forehands long and Zverev blasted a service winner to take the first set.

"He was serving incredible, in the first set especially," Zverev said. "Somehow was able to win that tiebreaker and that loosened me up.

"I'm really happy to get through in three."

Zverev broke Harris for a 2-0 lead in the second set and held serve from there. In the third, Zverev broke Harris in the first and third games and won after two hours and six minutes with his 21st ace of the match.

"The level wasn't quite where it needed to be," Harris said. "A little disappointing in that regard. Nonetheless, still, a lot of positives to take from the week."

The best prior Slam run for Harris was to the third round of this year's Australian Open.

RECOMMENDED
Tennis player Nick Kyrgios (R) leaves the Australian Capital Territory Magistrates Court, Canberra, Australia,Feb. 3, 2023. (EPA Photo)

Tennis bad boy Kyrgios escapes conviction despite pleading guilty

tennis
  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Sep 09, 2021 1:17 pm
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    us open tennis novak djokovic alexander zverev
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    People walk past a shop advertising sales in Istanbul, Türkiye, Jan. 19, 2023. (Reuters Photo)

    Turkish inflation eases further from peak ahead of crucial elections

    consumer-prices
    The U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Nitze anchors in the Bosporus, in Istanbul, Türkiye, Feb. 3, 2023. (Reuters Photo)

    US envoy hails ties with Türkiye from aboard warship in Bosporus

    USS-NITZE

    Türkiye ready to support Serbia-Kosovo dialogue process: Erdoğan

    türkiye-kosovo-relations

    Over 200 flights cancelled in Istanbul due to expected snowstorm

    snowstorm
    No Image
    China's Communist Party marks its centenary
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021