Djokovic advances, defending W&S Open champ Medvedev ousted

Only a dozen unforced errors. Every shot crisp in windy circumstances. Top-ranked Novak Djokovic had all components of his sport working Wednesday whereas advancing to the semifinals of the Western & Southern Open.

Djokovic had no issues along with his creaky neck or the swirling winds throughout a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Jan-Lennard Struff that was by far his finest exhibiting of the week.

So far, no rust in any respect after the lengthy layoff from aggressive tennis.

“Everything was worked on in the last six months, I had plenty of time,” Djokovic mentioned. “I worked on every single thing. It’s great it’s paying off so early after the break.”

Djokovic examined positive for Covid-19 after exhibition matches he organized in Serbia and Croatia in June with no social distancing.

In his match Monday in opposition to Ricardas Berankis, Djokovic had his sore neck massaged twice by a coach throughout a 7-6 (2), 6-Four victory that included seven double faults. The neck has gotten higher, and so has his general sport.

“Right now it’s not a concern,” he mentioned. “It’s still not 100% but it’s close to that. I’ve been gaining more range in my movement of the neck every single day, so no complaints.”

In the semifinals, he’ll face Roberto Bautista Agut, who knocked out defending champion Daniil Medvedev earlier within the day.

Medvedev failed to shut it out within the second set, and Bautista Agut rallied for a 1-6, 6-4, 6-Three victory that eradicated one more high participant out of the tune-up match for the U.S. Open. Djokovic is the one participant left within the match with an ATP Masters 1000 title to his credit score.

Medvedev led 4-Three within the second earlier than letting it slip away. He transformed solely 5 of 20 break factors within the match and swatted his racket in opposition to the courtroom in frustration on the finish.

“Even in the third set I had my chances and didn’t take them,” Medvedev mentioned.

Bautista Agut reached his third Masters semfinal and his first since 2016. He wanted a set to regulate to the breezy, cooler circumstances on courtroom.

“It’s never easy to come back and play good at first,” he mentioned. “I have to be patient, to try to enjoy every single match I play here after six months without competing. Just pleased and happy to be in the semifinals.”

Medvedev hoisted the champion’s Rookwood Pottery cup final 12 months in Mason, Ohio, the place the match is held yearly. This 12 months’s occasion was moved to the U.S. Open website in Flushing Meadows due to pandemic precautions, making a two-tournament occasion with out spectators.

On the ladies’s facet, fourth-seeded Naomi Osaka beat No. 12 Anett Kontaveit 4-6, 6-2, 7-5, reaching the semifinals as the one Top 10 participant left within the bracket. She’ll play No. 14 Elise Mertens, who beat 83rd-ranked Jessica Pegula 6-1, 6-3.

Already down one set, Osaka had her serve damaged early within the second, then received six video games in a row to realize momentum.

“For the first set and honestly a couple games in the second, I was just really being down on myself and being negative,” Osaka mentioned. “If I had to lose a match, I didn’t want to lose a match on that note. I just tried to be more positive and pump myself up.

“I just came back from six months (off) and the third match and I was already being negative, which is something I hope I can change.”