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Novak Djokovic and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga through to US Open third round Novak Djokovic and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga through to US Open third round
(about 2 hours later)
Novak Djkovic bullied, teased and ultimately demolished Paul-Henri Mathieu for the cost of just four games in under an hour-and-a-half on day four of the 2014 US Open to announce his return to his best after a couple of worrying wobbles in recent weeks. Novak Djokovic bullied, teased and ultimately demolished Paul-Henri Mathieu for the cost of just four games on day four of the US Open to announce a return to his frightening best when it mattered most.
The world No 1 did have trouble keeping upright in Cincinnati two weeks ago, before exiting early, echoing similar balance problems he had in Shanghai last year, and there was some concern that the man who pays such close attention to his diet and preparation might have been having undisclosed health problems. Now, though, his feet are back on the ground. The Serb’s shot-making ranged between the brutal and the delicate, several points won as much with subtlety as force. Djokovic, often on a mental knife-edge recently, looks for now to be in a good place, after a brief, worrying period of concern.
“It was very windy but I managed to adjust to the conditions which were not easy for me or my opponent, and to stay solid,” he said. The world No1 had difficulty staying upright during rallies in Cincinnati two weeks ago, before exiting early, echoing balance problems he experienced in Shanghai last year, and there was concern that the man who pays such close attention to his diet and preparation might have been having undisclosed health issues. At last, his feet are firmly back on the ground – even in the wind that swirled around Arthur Ashe Court on Thursday.
Djokovic struck 13 aces in the short time it lasted. “It’s not a big number for Boris [Becker, his coach], but it is for me.” It matched the power and precision of the rest of his game as he swept past the Frenchman to win 6-1, 6-3, 6-0, with no double faults and 33 clean winners. He struck 13 aces – “It’s not a big number for Boris [Becker, his coach], but it is for me” – and his serve matched the power and precision of his groundstrokes as he swept past the Frenchman to win 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 in under an hour-and-a-half, hitting 33 clean winners.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has had a typically incomprehensible season, swaying between unplayable and unfathomable, but he was back to near his best on day four of the 2014 US Open, a threat again to anyone who comes his way – for the rest of the week, at least. “I have nothing to complain about,” he said, when asked if he would have liked a longer workout. “I wanted to get my job done as quick as possible. I don’t have to play long matches to get into my groove.”
The world No10 might well have been happy to be drawn on the same quarter as Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic, given he beat them handsomely in Toronto this month – as well as Grigor Dimitrov and Roger Federer, who reside on the other side of the draw – but the mercurial Frenchman arrived in New York uncertain even if he would make it to the first weekend. That is debatable but, asked if marriage and the pending arrival of a baby had distracted him, he said: “My full priority and energy goes to my family. I’m doing everything I can, respecting the same daily routines I had for many years with my team. We are all on the same page. There is nothing significant going to change.”
He could take only five games off the Russian Mikhael Youzhny in the 68 minutes their first-round match in Cincinnati lasted, and he looked to have gone into an inexplicable slump again. If it stays that way, he could win this tournament. If not? He will implode. There are rarely any halfway measures with Djokovic.
However, in an hour and 47 minutes on Grandstand, the third of the site’s main courts, Tsonga flexed his muscles in front of the Kazakh Aleksandr Nedovyesov to win 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 to book what appears on the face of it a friendly third-round encounter with the Spaniard Pablo Carreño Busta, who took four sets to get past Tsonga’s compatriot Benoît Paire. Next he plays Sam Querrey, who earlier pulled off what might be considered a minor upset against Guillermo García-López, the 28th seed, out on Court 17. Querrey accounted for the Spaniard 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. “I’ll pretty much just try to serve big, be aggressive and take my chance was some big forehands,” he said.
Tsonga’s was the sort of comforting result he needed in the early stages of a slam. If he builds up some steam – and he should beat Busta – he might do some serious damage. Tsonga belted 13 aces (battering the speedometer at a high of 139mph) and 38 winners past Nedovyesov, who never came to terms with his opponent’s power or the wind that made several matches, including Djokovic’s, a little difficult on Thursday. Djokovic observed: “If we get to play on [Arthur Ashe] in a night session, that’s where my experience kicks in, try to neutralise his big serve. I saw a little bit of his match today. He looked great.”
In the bottom quarter of the same half of the draw, Kei Nishikori – who perennially seems a slip or a slide away from some sort of injury – came through intact against Pablo Andújar – who did not. The Spaniard retired trailing 6-4, 6-1. Querrey’s fellow American giant John Isner joins him in the third round after beating the German Jan-Lennard Struff (with the almost obligatory tie-break), 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, 6-2.
Nishikori, who had a gentle start to the tournament in three untroubled sets against the American wildcard Wayne Odesnik, said after beating Andújar: “Yeah, it’s been a good two matches. It’s unfortunate for Pablo today but I have been playing well; had good two sets.” Normally, Nishikori eases through the first week of a slam relatively unnoticed, so he was nonplussed to be asked if he thought the Flushing crowds were too loud – after Stanislas Wawrinka’s minor spat with a spectator on Wednesday. Isner’s next opponent is another German – although one of better pedigree – Philipp Kohlschreiber, who also had the benefit of a retirement win, when leading the Frenchman Michaël Llodra 6-2.
“It’s different than other grand slams,” he pointed out redundantly. “It’s good to have something like this. Maybe in that case, though, I might get a little bit stressed too. But for now, I have good support from all the Japanese people and also American or different countries, too. It’s very fun to play here.” Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, like Djokovic, has had an incomprehensible season, swaying between unplayable and unfathomable, but he was in splendid form on Thursday.
Certainly it must be when winning. And the American Sam Querrey was all smiles after pulling off what might be considered a minor upset against Guillermo García-López, the 28th seed, out on Court 17, where he accounted for the Spaniard 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. The world No10 – who might well have been happy to be drawn in the same quarter as Djokovic and Andy Murray, given he beat them handsomely in Toronto this month as well as Grigor Dimitrov and Roger Federer, who reside on the other side of the draw – arrived in New York uncertain even if he would make it to the first weekend.
Having struggled to beat the Argentinian Máximo González in five sets in the first round, he was relieved to get the job done in an hour and 45 minutes on Thursday. He could take only five games off the Russian Mikhael Youzhny in the 68 minutes their first-round match in Cincinnati lasted. However, in an hour and 47 minutes on Grandstand, the third of the site’s main courts, Tsonga flexed his muscles in front of the Kazakh Aleksandr Nedovyesov to win 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 and ensure what appears on the face of it a friendly third-round encounter with the Spaniard Pablo Carreño Busta, who took four sets to get past Tsonga’s compatriot Benoît Paire.
“Sometimes the first matches are always the toughest ones,” said one of the game’s nice guys. “Usually I play better as the tournament goes on. I felt like I played great today. Serve felt good, forehand felt good, I was making the right decisions. Hope I can keep playing like that.” Tsonga’s was the sort of comforting result he needed in the early stages of a slam. If he builds up some steam – and he should beat Busta – he might do some serious damage.
Like a lot of players, Querrey has struggled for consistency, although – likewise – he is at a loss to explain why. He belted 13 aces (battering the speedometer at a high of 139mph) and 38 winners past Nedovyesov, who never came to terms with his opponent’s power or the wind that made several matches a little difficult on Thursday.
“I don’t know, but I’ve got some confidence right now. I had momentum after last week, putting together four wins. I’m just committing to hitting the forehand big and serving well, and it seems to be working.”
His fellow American giant John Isner joins him in the third round after beating the German Jan-Lennard Struff (with the almost obligatory tie-break), 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, 6-2. Isner next plays another German – although one of better pedigree – Philipp Kohlschreiber, who also had the benefit of a retirement win, when leading the Frenchman Michaël Llodra 6-2.