Djokovic fights again from two units down to succeed in US Open closing 16

AFP / Corey Sipkin

A tenacious Novak Djokovic survived a US Open late-night fright, battling again from two units all the way down to tame fellow Serb Laslo Djere with 4-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 to maneuver into the fourth spherical at Flushing Meadows.

On the ropes and reeling Djokovic, as he has carried out many instances earlier than, he snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in entrance of a report crowd inside a breathless Arthur Ashe Stadium courtroom.

It marked the thirty eighth time Djokovic has gained a five-setter and stored alive the 36-year-old’s quest for a fourth U.S. Open crown that may pull him stage with Margaret Court’s report haul of 24 Grand Slams.

“I hope you enjoyed the show, it was not so enjoyable for me, especially in the first two sets,” Djokovic advised the group. “It was one of the toughest matches I have played here in many years.”

Djokovic had seemed imperious in his opening two matches, surrendering solely 11 video games in blowout wins over Frenchman Alexandre Muller and Spaniard Bernabe Zapata Miralles, however his Thirty second-seeded countryman proved a far more durable take a look at.

The two Serbs had solely clashed as soon as earlier than that, in Belgrade final 12 months, however there have been indicators then that Djere was a hazard, with the competition needing three units and two tie-breaks earlier than Djokovic claimed the win.

Djere signalled to Djokovic he was in for extra of the identical on Friday when he broke the second-seed to start out the match after which held his nerve the remainder of the set for an sudden and well-earned 1-0 lead.

Facing one of many best gamers of all time below the intense lights of tennis’s largest stage, a fearless Djere couldn’t be rattled, piling on the strain with one other break to go up 4-3 within the second on the best way to a 2-0 lead that left Arthur Ashe Stadium surprised.

Djokovic was not with out his alternatives however didn’t capitalise on his possibilities till backed right into a nook.

With the group nonetheless buzzing, Djokovic got here out for the third set with an urgency and vitality lacking within the opening two units, breaking Djere on the first alternative and once more to go up 4-0 on the best way to chopping the deficit to 2-1.

“I did a little pep talk in the mirror,” stated Djokovic about his rest room break after the second set. “I kind of laughed at myself because I was agitated and annoyed with the result, I had to kind of force myself to lift myself, to lift the spirits up.”

With cracks in Djere’s sport beginning to seem, Djokovic continued to dial up the strain breaking once more to open the fourth set pulling a mighty fist pump from the 36-year-old.

But Djere was not carried out instantly breaking again, setting the stage for what was a marathon third sport that noticed Djokovic regain management with one more break.

Moving in for the kill Djokovic swept the subsequent six video games to take the fourth set and a 2-0 lead within the decisive fifth that he would by no means give up.

“Once I got the break in the third, I thought ‘OK, I have a shot, I have a chance,” stated Djokovic. “I might as well go after it.”

“I began to play a bit extra aggressively and browse his video games barely greater than I had within the first two units, and it labored effectively.

“But trust me, it was nerve-wracking all the way till the last shot,” he added.