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No. 1 Novak Djokovic survives epic tie-breaker with Ukranian Alexandr Dolgopolov, into quarterfinals
Monday, September 5, 2011
The draw? World No. 1 and top-seeded Novak Djokovic had been put on Armstrong for the day session, a rare occassion for the top seed, giving fans holding grounds passes on a sold-out Labor Day at the Open the chance to watch the 60-win magician do his work.
Those who got in -- whether seated close to the action or at the brim of the stadium overlooking the Grandstand -- were treated to one of the most electrifying tiebreakers that tennis has seen in a while: Djokovic overcoming Ukranian Alexandr Dolgopolov 16-14 in the 30-point, nearly-30 minute tie-breaker and going on to win the match, 7-6 (14), 6-4, 6-2.
It was a strange match from the outstretch, with gusts of wind blowing their way through Armstrong and both men trying to measure the conditions and one another. The two Europeans had never played each other, and though Djokovic was the obvious favorite, in 2011 Dolgopolov has become a tennis dark horse -- a foe most top players want to avoid.
Djokovic couldn't avoid the 22-year-old or his game on Monday afternoon. The 2011 Australian Open and Wimbledon champion looked off-set from the start, getting broken in the fifth game of the set when he double faulted. Dolgopolov has a booming forehand, but further complicates it with devlish slices off of both wings, a game that seemed to frustrate his Serbian opponent in early goings.
But after Dolgopolov broke, he couldn't consolidate. He hit a forehand long to fall down 15-40 and then botched a another forehand well wide, drawing the match even at three games a piece.
The remainder of the first set leading up to the tiebreaker saw the two men exchange healthy rallies off the ground, Djokovic seeming to find his comfort -- and his grunt -- at 6-5. But the Serb flubbed a backhand long and then watched an ace sail past him to bring the set to a tiebreaker.
It was there that the two players brought out electric tennis from one another. Dolgopolov found lead at 3-0 and then 4-1 thanks to his wicked slices only to yank a forehand well long to bring the score to 4-4.
The Ukranian had set points at 6-5 and 7-6, but could not convert. Down a set point at 7-8 himself, Dolgopolov delivered a sideways backhand volley that cut across the court and kissed the line, bringing the breaker to 8-8. As Djokovic took a 12-11 advantage, a volley from the No. 1 clipped the tape and allowed Dolgopolov to rush the net, hitting two overheads before lobbing Djokovic, whose own defensive lob went just long of the baseline.
With the score at 12-12 and the players switching sides for the fourth time, fans -- some of them who had waited hours to get into the match -- gave the men a deafening standing ovation, many of them already on their feet from the excitement of the point before.
Djokovic came in behind a strong forehand at 13-14 down to knock away a forehand volley winner. He then slipped a serve up the T, drawing an error from Dolgopolov and, on his fifth set point of the breaker, watched a Dolgopolov forehand land just beyond the baseline.
The three-time major champ lept into the air, pumping his fist and turning to the crowd that was again on its feet, applauding the display of craft and guile the two men had put on for the one hour, 16 minute set.
"After the first set, it was a kind of a turning point," Djokovic said after his win. "I was confused on the court in the first set with the wind and the low balls he was hitting... I raised my level in the next two sets. He's an unpredictable player. He feeds on the energy of the crowd. The bigger the match is, he feels better -- gets motivated."
For Djokovic, his historic 2011 continues to the quarterfinals of the Open, a place he's found himself in for six straight years. Last year, the Serbian lost in a four-set final to Rafael Nadal here, a match that was played on Monday due to weather delays throughout the tournament. It was later in the fall that Djokovic would begin his now-famous 43-match win streak, which stretched into the middle of this year, ending it in a loss to Roger Federer in the semifinals of the French Open.
But since that loss to Federer, Djokovic has had just one other loss, coming against Andy Murray in the final at Cincinnati this summer. The world's No. 1 has ammassed a 61-2 record this year and has won his opening four matches without dropping a set at Flushing Meadows.
Once Djokovic had the first set in hand, the 24-year-old shut the door tightly on his 23rd-ranked opponent. Djokovic broke to open the second set, taking command of the rallies with his booming forehand and seeming less bothered by Dolgopolov's mix of slices.
In the third set, Djokovic did the same, breaking Dolgopolov at love to open the set and closing out the match in two hours, 26 minutes.
"[Dolgopolov] has very fast hands and has a good running forehand and can serve well," Djokovic said. "I knew in the back of my mind, I knew to hang in there and wait for the opportunities. After the first set I knew I had a little bit of a mental edge over him. Mental strength you get over the years by playing on the tour and getting that experience throughout the years."
Dolgopolov was playing in just his seventh major tournament ever. The 22-year-old Ukranian has had a stellar year before running into the superhuman Djokovic, reaching the quarterfinals at the Australian Open by beating seeds Jo-Wilfriend Tsonga and Robin Soderling before falling to Andy Murray in the round of eight. Dolgopolov registered impressive wins this year beyond the Australian, as well, topping Sam Querrey, Tsonga (again) and David Ferrer, and grabbed his first tour title in Umag this July.
The Serbian takes on friend and countryman Janko Tipsarevic in the quarterfinals, marking the first time that two Serbs have made the quarterfinals at a major. Djokovic holds a 2-0 career record against Tipsarevic, the No. 20 seed, beating him in three-set contests in both 2008 and 2009.
"It's great for our country. [Janko] is one of my great friends outside of tennis and it's not going to be easy to play him," said Djokovic. "But it's the quarterfinals of a major, I'll come to win."
As for the crowd that waited so patiently to watch him play? "I didn't know ... It was a packed stadium. I haven't played on that court for a while ... I enjoyed it, I was happy to experience Armstrong again. Sometimes it's nice to be closer to the crowd where you can feel them -- even when you're grabbing a towel."
Match Facts
- Djokovic won 75% of points on his first serve (52 of 69).
- Dolgopolov hit 25 winners to Djokovic's 13.
- This was Dolgopolov's first time in the fourth round at the Open.
- Djokovic is 109-1 when winning the first set in 2010 and 2011.
Louis Armstrong Stadium - Men's Singles - 4th Round
Novak Djokovic SRB (1) 716 6 6
Alexandr Dolgopolov UKR (22) 614 4 2
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