Novak Djokovic will be bidding for a quarterfinal spot at the U.S. Open when he takes the court on Monday against Philipp Kohlschreiber. Andy Murray and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga are also in action.
(1) Novak Djokovic vs. (22) Philipp Kohlschreiber
Djokovic and Kohlschreiber will be squaring off for the sixth time in their careers when they clash in round four of the U.S. Open on Monday. The head-to-head series stands at 4-1 in Djokovic’s favor, including 2-0 on hard courts. They most recently faced each other this spring on the clay courts of Rome, where Djokovic prevailed 4-6, 6-2, 6-1. Kohlschreiber’s lone victory over the current world No. 1 came via a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 decision in the third round of the 2009 French Open.
Kohlschreiber booked his place in the last 16 with a third consecutive U.S. Open third-round victory over John Isner. The 25th-ranked German, who preceded that triumph by taking out Facundo Bagnis and Michael Llodra (second-set retirement), is 33-20 for his 2014 campaign. Djokovic has apparently regained form and focus in the aftermath of early exits in Toronto and Cincinnati. The top-seeded Serb may not be at his very best level, but he looks more like the Wimbledon Djokovic that the one that was on display at the two hard-court Masters events. As such, he should be able to fend off a stern challenge from Kohlschreiber.
Pick: Djokovic in 4
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(9) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs. (8) Andy Murray
It will be a rematch of a recent Toronto showdown when Murray and Tsonga meet again on Monday in Flushing Meadows. Tsonga recovered from a break deficit in the third set to beat Murray 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-4, but the Frenchman is still just 2-9 in the head-to-head series. Murray has won five of their previous seven hard-court encounters, including a 6-4, 6-1 rout earlier this season in Miami.
Tsonga eventually captured the title in Toronto, where he posted four top-10 wins in succession (also over Djokovic, Grigor Dimitrov, and Roger Federer). It has been an otherwise disappointing season for the world No. 10, but confidence from that triumph seems to have remained. So far this fortnight, Tsonga has rolled over Juan Monaco, Aleksandr Nedovyesov, and Pablo Carreno Busta. Murray has not been as impressive while getting past Robin Haase, Matthias Bachinger, and Andrey Kuznetsov. Struggling down at ninth in the world, the Scot is generally a bad matchup for Tsonga but may not be able to capitalize on it based on the way he has performed of late.
Pick: Tsonga in 4
Muzza flailing about like a drunk old man, and Jo Willy, he will still lose in straight sets.
Another night match for Fed tomorrow……….19h00
That is just hysterical, hearing that Fed will get another night match. So sweating it out in the heat of the day for him!
I meant to say NO sweating it out for Fed in the heat of the day!
Fed will get one day match either QF or SF depending on which he prefers to get used to day conditions prior to the final.
#Idemo
I think tennis really needs deep introspection. They had to get a doctor out for Genie Bouchard mid match, she looked really bad. Conditions out there are brutal. It is not fair to subject some players to these sort of conditions, spare others and claim it is a level playing field. Not fair………
Anyone who says conditions are the same for both players is an idiot. Not all bodies are the same. We all handle heat differently. Tennis is meant to be a competition, not survival of the fittest. Genie loses, clearly distressed by the awful conditions.
Vamos Muzza!
I hope he gets a night match next……….
He won’t. They’ll want him in British prime time.
And what SKY wants they get.
Congrats to Muzza on his first top ten win in over a year. Can’t believe it took so long but he picked a good time to do it. Happy to be wrong with my prediction.
Murray Nole should be a great one and the winner of this match should be able to stop Cool Hand Roger.
My heart will be pulling for Muzza in this match
#TeamMuzzovic
C’mon Muzza! Save tennis!
The Eurosport commies accused Murray of gamesmanship and play acting that he was having some problems. Doh.
Like you said: it was brutal conditions for the players. Tsonga could barely toss the ball to serve by the end.
Would like to see how they’d fair in those conditions.
#ArmchairQBs
#federazziPropaganda
Pro fed crowd is naturally pro subStandard.
Vamos Tommy Can You Hear Me.
Kei over Milos. Kei has been by far the more impressive of the two so far.
That will be three and out today for the Canucks should he lose.
What a dork…
http://twitter.com/ESPNTennis/status/506594787806289921/photo/1
Did you hear when he yelled Vamos and then F@(k after winning the 3rd set? He and Robredo also had words while he was serving early in the 4th before wiping the court with Tommy’s face in that set.
^^Yes, I saw it.
Without his 1st serve, Raonic is a sitting duck………….Kei breaks to serve for the set and take this to a decider. If Raonic’s power on this 1st serves wavers then Kei will take the match because he is so much better on the groundies…..
Interesting that both players have ex Pro-players as coaches.
I think we are seeing who the real deals are, and it’s the young players who are left in the tournament:
Thiem;
Nishikori;
Dimitrov;
Raonic
We are into a 5th………..
Vamos Kei!!
Dimitrov?
Real deal, my ass………
This match is something else. I just love how Nishi is hanging in there and not giving up. Finally he breaks Raonic and serves it out to win the fourth set! Good job!
I had a feeling this was going to be a good win, but didn’t expect this marathon. I really want Nishi to win this. It’s been exhausting just to keep watching it. I took a few breaks. It’s just a shame that a lot of people won’t see it because it’s on so late.
RT @SecondServeHack: “So, Wawrinka gets the winner of this match (or possibly a walkover if Nishikori wins) and then the winner of Djokovic/Murray in the semis?”
Déjà vu, anyone??
RT @linzsports: “Nishikori has called the trainer. If you’re not already drunk, drink.”
Looking at Raonic right now, he is no longer chasing balls, meaning he is feeling like chopped liver out there. Meaning, technically, Stan has a walk-over whoever he faces next. After this marathon, none of these guys will be fit for dinner, never mind another Slam match.
Kei breaks in the 5th……….
Stan breaks into a huge smile.