Djokovic prevented Aus after 0: 2 set deficit

The 36-year-old Serb defeated his compatriot Laslo Djere on Saturday night (local time) 4: 6, 4: 6, 6: 1, 6: 1, 6: 3. Djokovic converted his second match point after 3:45 hours at 1:32 a.m. In the round of the top 16, Djokovic meets the Croatian qualifier Borna Gojo.

“I sent a message to the rest of the field: I can still play five sets, late at night,” said Djokovic and revealed his recipe for success: “During a break, I gave myself a little motivational talk in the mirror, got over laughed at myself because I was so mad at myself.”

Tommy Paul (No. 14) became the first men’s round of 16, the American knocked out the Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (21) in four sets. Three of Paul’s compatriots followed suit, fueling fans’ hopes of the first Grand Slam triumph by an American in 20 years. Ben Shelton, who got over Dominic Thiem, prevailed against the Russian Aslan Karazew, Sebastian Ofner conqueror Frances Tiafoe (10) put the Frenchman Adrian Mannarino in his place. And number nine seeded Taylor Fritz made short work of Czech Jakub Mensik – 6:1,6:2,6:0.

Tennis fans in New York experienced a surprise on Friday (local time). Romania’s Sorana Cirstea knocked out fourth-seeded Jelena Rybakina in a 6-3,6-7(6) 6-4 win to reach the round of 16 at Flushing Meadows for the first time in her career. Defending champion Iga Swiatek, meanwhile, reached the round of 16 with a demonstration of her exceptional status.

The Pole outclassed the Slovenian Kaja Juvan 6:0,6:1 on Friday and only conceded 15 points to her best friend on the tennis tour. After 49 minutes, Swiatek converted the first match point. Swiatek has not lost a set in this major and has only given up nine games.

“I didn’t like winning against my best friend. I knew I had to stay focused and not think about it,” she said in an interview at Louis Armstrong Stadium after the 49-minute match. “I don’t have many friends, but she’s my best friend.” The 22-year-old is aiming for her fifth Grand Slam triumph at the US Open. Her next opponent is Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko (No. 20).

Karolina Muchova is also still in business, the number ten seeded Czech won against the American Taylor Townsend 7:6(0),6:3. Muchova plays unseeded China’s Wan Xinyu for a ticket to the quarterfinals. Coco Caroline Wozniacki later continued her fantastic Grand Slam comeback, the Dane won against the American Jennifer Brady 4: 6.6: 3.6: 1. She now meets Brady’s compatriot and co-favourite, Coco Gauff (6), who beat Belgium’s Elise Mertens 3:6.6:3.6:0.