Luck seems to be on the side of Novak Djokovic. He clinched his 10th-straight US Open semi-final appearance after advancing past his fourth-round foe Jo-Wilfried Tsonga via retirement. It was the third time across five matches that the Serbian saw his opponent withdraw from their match due to injury concerns.
Speaking of which, Djokovic himself is dealing with his own injury, specifically an ailing wrist. But the defending champion has battled through the soreness like any other competitor would do, and his determination has resulted to an intriguing showdown against Gael Monfils this Friday.
The head-to-head series between the two has been owned by the Djokovic, who’s bested the flashy Frenchman in all but one of their 13 career matchups. That lone loss, by the way, happened way back in 2004 during a Futures event in Italy.
Apart from having the historical advantage, Djokovic should be in better shape in this clash considering all of the extra rest he’s had. There’s a pretty good chance that we might finally see him regain his true form and start firing on all cylinders, which will likely prove to be too much for Monfils to handle.
The Djoker is 10-1 in his last 11 hard-court matches overall.
Gael Monfils is heading to his first-ever appearance in the semifinals of the US Open, marking just his second trip to this stage of a Grand Slam. The road has been relatively easy for the Frenchman in New York, as he’s powered through lower-ranked opponents in the previous five rounds. And what’s even more striking is the fact that he hasn’t surrendered a set yet.
Monfil’s current success can be credited to his all-around efficiency. He’s won nearly 80 percent of his first serves per match and has compiled a total of 25 breaks, while dropping serve only six times in the tournament. As long as he continues to play at this kind of level, there’s no doubt that the 30-year-old could pull off a shocker against the reigning champion Novak Djokovic.
As mentioned earlier, Monfils has yet to face an opponent that’s close to Djokovic’s talent. That and along with the pressure of making his first semifinals entry at the US Open could possibly prevent the World No. 12 from winning or performing at his full capacity. But if he does not succumb to it, you can expect one hell of a finish between him and the Serbian maestro.
Monfils, who is 10-2 in his previous 12 outside hard court matches, lost to Djokovic earlier this year at the Canadian Masters, 6-3, 6-2.
Writer’s Prediction
Djokovic (-900) punches a ticket to the US Open finals, surviving past Monfils after three neck-and-neck sets.
