Novak Djokovic came from a set down to record his 25th consecutive match win in majors this year. American wildcard Jenson Brooksby was for half an hour in control of the match and created a raucous atmosphere as the Arthur Ashe Stadium cheered for the last USA tennis player left at the US Open. However, the Serbian 20-time Grand Slam winner took control of the match to win 1-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 on Monday night. He extended his pursuit of a true Slam and a record-breaking 21st major championship while also eliminating the last American singles player in the tournament. It is the first time in the history of an event that dates to the 1880s that no man or woman from the host country reached the quarterfinals. Perhaps affected by the physical nature of the extended exchanges, Brooksby was visited by a trainer after the second set and again after the third. Still, for someone who never had set foot on Ashe’s blue court until about two hours before the match, when he got a chance to practice there, Brooksby never seemed overwhelmed by the setting or the circumstances. Djokovic, 34, next meets No. 6 Matteo Berrettini of Italy in a rematch of the Wimbledon final.
Sixth-seeded Matteo Berrettini of Italy was made to work hard at the US Open as he battled past qualifier Oscar Otte of Germany 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows for a second time. The 25-year-old Italian, who reached his first major final at Wimbledon before losing to world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, was tested by Otte, surviving a dip in the second set, before raising his intensity to advance after two hours and 22 minutes. The German struggled with a wrist injury throughout the fourth set after falling at 1-1 in the set but continued to toil. He will be now up against Novak Djokovic once again and it would be a rematch of the Wimbledon finals. Among other players who have reached the quarterfinals are Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Felix Auger Allisame, Lloyd Haris, and 18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz Garfia. The table is now tight as Djokovic will end up meeting Sascha at the semis while Medvedev will be up against the winner of Felix Auger Aliassime and Carlos Alcaraz Garfia’s match. U.S. Open 2021 has become highly interesting and the business end will attract more crowd and more viewership for sure. In doubles, the only Indian hope left, Rohan Bopanna and Ivan Dodig pair has lost in the third round.
