US Open final: Novak Djokovic says umpire interfered in Serena Williams match
Novak Djokovic has weighed into the Serena Williams drama, laying the blame for the controversy at the feet of the umpire.
US Open men’s final, Novak Djokovic v Juan Martin del Potro on Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York. Djokovic has won the match 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 6-3
Umpire ‘interfered’ in Serena match
Novak Djokovic says he thinks the chair umpire interfered too much in Serena Williams’ match but stopped short of saying men and women are treated differently, AP reports.
Djokovic says Carlos Ramos “just maybe changed - not maybe, but he did change the course of the match” in Williams’ 6-2 6-4 loss to Naomi Osaka on Saturday night in the US Open final.
Djokovic said he thought Ramos’ involvement was “unnecessary.”
But he disagreed with WTA CEO Steve Simon, who said men and women should be treated equally but that wasn’t the case Saturday.
“I don’t see things as Mr. Simon does,” Djokovic says, adding that “it’s hard to generalise things, really.”
Djokovic back as a major force
Novak Djokovic has capped a resurgent 2018 by winning a second straight grand slam title to round out the major season in New York today, Courtney Walsh writes.
After a period of more than two seasons in the grand slam wilderness, the steel has returned to the Serbian’s nerve and with it grand slam success.
Pitted against 2009 US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro, the 31-year-old held firm under immense pressure in the second set to win his third US Open crown 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 6-3.
Djokovic’s success in New York follows a triumph over Kevin Anderson at Wimbledon two months ago and sees him emerge as the premier player at major level of either sex in 2018.
His greatest rivals, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, whose US Open defence ended when he injured a knee against del Potro in a semi-final, claimed major titles in Melbourne and Paris.
It puts the right-hander back in the race between the trio for the all-time upper-hand in terms of major titles.
Federer, who is 37, currently leads with 20 titles from Nadal, who has 17, and Djokovic, who had previously enjoyed success at Flushing Meadows in 2011 and 2015, on 14.
And it demonstrates yet again that for all the talent possessed by emerging players such as Alexander Zverev, Nick Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas, the grand slams remain the domain of the legends of the sport.
Djokovic’s ability to recapture his best tennis in recent months is among the stories of this season given his malaise after completing a career grand slam at the French Open in 2016.
Simply competing in recent years has been a triumph for del Potro, who endured years of angst battling with crippling wrist complaints before re-emerging as a major contender.
Cooler weather in New York scarcely helped his cause against Djokovic, with Arthur Ashe Stadium playing slower as a result.
But had he been able to clinch an epic game lasting 20 minutes at 4-3 in the second set, the decider may well have played out differently.
Having regained the momentum when breaking two games prior, the Tower from Tandil held three break points for a 5-3 lead but was unable to convert.
Then, in the tiebreaker, his thunderous forehand went missing at a critical time, with three straight errors from the wing giving Djokovic a dominant lead.
Del Potro was able to retrieve an early service break in the third set but when the champion broke again in the eighth game, the title was effectively in his grasp.
The Argentine was in tears and appeared exhausted at the end of the decider, but has again shown himself capable of being a leading contender.
Men’s leading grand slam title winners:
20: Roger Federer
17: Rafael Nadal
14: Pete Sampras, Novak Djokovic
12: Roy Emerson
11: Bjorn Borg, Rod Laver
9.40am: It’s all over
Djokovic 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 Del Potro
Novak Djokovic has won his third US Open and 14th major title with a straight-sets win over Juan Martin del Potro.
9.35am: Novak to serve for match
Djokovic 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 5-3 Del Potro
All of a sudden the Serb has a chance to win the match. Del Potro plays a careless game on serve at a crucial time, mixing in a double fault with two backhand errors and forehand mistake. This could be all over in minutes
9.30am: Djoker edges ahead
Djokovic 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 4-3 Del Potro
This match has gone past three hours now and it’s starting to get tense. Del Potro gets a half-chance on the Djokovic serve but the Serb hangs on.
9.15am: Break, break back
Djokovic 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 3-2 Del Potro
Del Potro digs himself a hole early in the third, dropping serve after a sloppy game. It’s a long way back from two sets and a break but he hits back immediately, thanks to unforced errors off both wings from Djokovic. The crowd is right behind the Argentine, lifting him for another effort.
9am: All square early in the third
Djokovic 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 1-1 Del Potro
Steady start to the third set, as both players hold their opening service games. The crowd is trying to lift del Potro, who understandably looks a little flat after going down two sets to love.
8.40am: Novak wins second set
Djokovic 6-3 7-6 (7-4) Del Potro
Three straight forehand errors hand Djokovic the second set tiebreaker. Del Potro’s weapon fails him when it counts most — one wide and two into the net. The Argentine looks tired towards the end of the ‘breaker. The match has been going for two hours and 20 minutes.
8.35am: 3-3 Tiebreaker
Djokovic 6-3 6-6 Del Potro
Del Potro skips out to a 3-1 lead after a Djokovic error, but he then hands back the mini-break with a forehand miscue of his own.
8.30am: Tiebreaker
Djokovic 6-3 6-6 Del Potro
Novak holds to love and after a little more than two hours we’re into a tiebreaker to settle the second set. Del Potro to serve first.
8.25am: Easy does it
Djokovic 6-3 5-6 Del Potro
Del Potro continues his power play, banging down an ace and a couple of heavy groundstrokes that force errors from the Djoker. The Serb will have to hold to send the second set to a tiebreak.
8.15am: Over to you, Novak
Djokovic 6-3 4-5 Del Potro
An easy hold for del Potro, which will force Djokovic to try and stay in the second set, which has already lasted an hour and 10 minutes.
8.10am: It’s getting tight
Djokovic 6-3 4-4 Del Potro
An epic battle in the eighth game of the second set, lasting more than 20 minutes. Del Potro squanders three break-point chances but Djokovic is loose with some of his groundstrokes to keep the big man in it. The crowd is willing del Potro to get the break, which would give him the chance to serve out the second set. The camera pans to a gobsmacked Meryl Streep after a huge del Potro forehand and the crowd roars again. A pair of forehand forced errors allows Djokovic to close out the game.
What I see when #DelPotro opens wide for a forehand...#USOpen #UsOpenFinal #DelPotroDjokovic #DjokovicDelPotro pic.twitter.com/kD4GJiG83i
— LilePile (@IcNeMiCue) September 9, 2018
7.45am: Break back!
Djokovic 6-3 3-3 Del Potro
Just when it looked like a procession for Djokovic, del Potro lifts his game and levels the second set. A couple of monster forehands gives him the opening, and Djokovic sprays a forehand of his own to lose serve. The crowd is really into it now and Novak is not happy — letting out some screams of his own as he realises he’s not the fan favourite.
7.35am: The big man survives
Djokovic 6-3 3-2 Del Potro
Del Potro survives another close call on serve to stay in the second set. Novak is making the third seed work hard, but he responds with a clean backhand winner to keep it close. The crowd roars in appreciation.
Everybody whatching the #USOPENâ â men’s final...Meryl Streep in the middle of the public 😉
— MARÃA PAULA CUEVAS (@mapaulacuevas) September 9, 2018
Djokovic vs Del Potro pic.twitter.com/zwXGnd63Ur
7.25am: Another break for Novak
Djokovic 6-3 2-1 Del Potro
Trouble for del Potro. The sixth seed has broken serve early in the second set, after another wayward forehand from his rival. This is starting to look like it might not be the close encounter we were hoping for. Djokovic has del Potro’s measure from the baseline and is wearing him down.
7.15am: Big hold for Delpo
Djokovic 6-3 0-1 Del Potro
Big moment early in the second set, as the Argentine fights off two break points to hang onto his serve. Djokovic is making life difficult for his opponent with some phenomenal shot-making.
7.05am Novak closes out first set
Djokovic 6-3 Del Potro
After a tight opening, the sixth seed pockets the opener after a tick over 40 minutes. Again, it’s another netted forehand from del Potro that hands Djokovic the key point. Not much between the pair, Novak capitalised on his only break point after del Potro had looked comfortable on serve.
7am: Novak on top
Djokovic 5-3 Del Potro
A break for the Serb. After a relatively easy time of it for both players in the first set, a netted forehand gives Djokovic the chance to serve out the opener. It came on the first break point of the match so far.
🔨🔨🔨
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 9, 2018
Early glimpse of the Thorhand...#USOpen pic.twitter.com/w5KnRcvRMP
6.45am: Big hits keep coming
Djokovic 3-2 Del Potro
A comfortable hold for del Potro. He’s found his radar early on the forehand, which will be crucial if he’s to challenge Djokovic. The Serb matches his opponent — he’s being forced to work harder on serve so far than his opponent.
6.35: Delpo shows early promise
Djokovic 2-1 Del Potro
The Argentine starts to get the big forehand cranking and gets an opening at 0-30 on Djokovic’s second service game. Novak is taken to deuce but manages to hold.
6.25am: We’re underway
Djokovic 1-0 Del Potro
Novak Djokovic serves first in the decider after a slight delay due to the late-finishing women’s doubles final. This tournament has been marked by hot, humid conditions but the final will be played in cool conditions. It’s about 17C with some rain, so the roof on Arthur Ashe Stadium has been closed. Djokovic wins the first game of the match.
Courtney Walsh 6.15am: Barty breaks through
Ash Barty has capped an encouraging US Open for Australians by claiming her first grand slam title when partnering CoCo Vandeweghe to a win in the women’s doubles today.
The Queenslander had reached four prior finals before with Casey Dellacqua. But with the Western Australian retiring earlier this year, Barty has played with a range of partners in 2018.
But the combination with the powerful Vandeweghe, who is twice a grand slam singles semi-finalist, has proven beneficial, as evidenced by their form over the past fortnight in New York.
Barty, 22, proved the critical player in the court in an extremely tight match they eventually claimed 3-6 7-6 (2) 8-6 (6).
Her play at the net was largely nerveless. An example came with Vandeweghe serving at 4-all, 0-30 in the deciding set, with the Australian active in her crossing at the net to win a critical game.
The winning combination slipped behind 5-3 in the deciding tiebreaker and Barty was required to save a third match point, doing so by crunching a forehand directly at Mladenovic.
Then the world No. 15 delivered an outstanding sliced second serve to the forehand that caught the Frenchwoman by surprise, drawing a forehand error.
Mladenovic, who had been good at clutch stages late in the match on the net, lost her nerve on match point when double-faulting.
Due to the late finish of the final, which was completed just prior to the scheduled start time for Novak Djokovic’s clash with Juan Martin del Potro, neither Barty or Vandeweghe were given time to address those in attendance nor spend significant time delivering autographs.
But the Australian could be overheard telling an official she was fine and understood the reasoning.
Aside from the grand slam breakthrough, she and Vandeweghe will split almost $1 million for their victory.
It also places them in a good position to compete in the end-of-season championships in Singapore next month.
Djokovic, del Potro comeback tour
Novak Djokovic didn’t play in last year’s US Open because of injury and Juan Martin del Potro nearly quit the sport three years ago, also over frustrations caused by injuries, AAP reports.
Now they are set to face each other on Sunday for the first time in a grand slam final on the biggest stage in tennis, the US Open in New York. Djokovic, ranked sixth in the world, cruised through earlier rounds of the tournament, dropping only two sets and being pushed to a tiebreak only once.
He’ll be looking to continue his momentum after winning Wimbledon in July and the Western & Southern Open in August.
It would be his third US Open title and would bring his total grand slam haul up to 14, a sweet achievement after suffering an elbow injury last year that forced him to take about six months off.
“I was fortunate not to be too long away, but I did carry my injury for over two years, so I understand what a player goes through,” the 31-year-old Serb said.
Djokovic’s record compares with one grand slam for del Potro - the US Open in 2009. That might make him the hungrier player but a large contingent of Argentines is sure to make him the crowd favourite.
Del Potro, who turns 30 this month, reached the final unexpectedly when world No.1 Rafael Nadal pulled out two sets down in the semi-final on Friday. “It will be special to me. A big challenge because I’ve been fighting with many, many problems to get to this moment,” he said.
Del Potro’s career hit bottom three years ago due to wrist injuries that required multiple surgeries.
“The worst moment was in 2015 when I was close to [quitting] this sport because I couldn’t find a way to fix my wrist problems,” he said after the match with Nadal. “I was suffering a lot. I got depressed for a couple of months also.” But he said he trusted his surgeons and has now put that “completely in the past.”
He’s risen to No.3 in the world and all his hard work would pay off nicely with a defeat of Djokovic. He’s done it before, but only four times in 18 meetings.
Through all those matches and their years on the tour, the two players said they have become friends, which will make playing the final more difficult. “He’s a dear friend, someone I respect a lot,” Djokovic said on Friday after beating Kei Nishikori in his semi-final.
Djokovic, who is 10 centimetres shorter, said del Potro could rise to the occasion of a big match and he is especially wary of his opponent’s forehand and big serve.
Del Potro also acknowledged their close friendship and noted that his opponent won Wimbledon, the most recent grand slam.
“He’s playing so good. He will be the favourite to win on Sunday,” he said. But del Potro might have an ace up his sleeve - a group of 14 mates who have come to New York from his home town of Tandil, Argentina.
They have been at all his matches over the course of the fortnight and their constant chanting is inspiring him.
Del Potro has acknowledged their presence, joking about their consumption of beer but he said he draws energy from them.
“They are very important for me to be on this stage at the moment because they were behind me in ... trying to keep my mind ... positive,” he said “I didn’t know if I will be a tennis player again or not. But I’m here. I’m excited to keep surprising the tennis world as I did myself.”
Serena drama still talk of tennis world
Serena Williams has been fined $17,000 by the US Tennis Association in the wake her outburst during a controversial US Open final loss to Japan’s Naomi Osaka, AFP reports.
The American star was fined for coaching, racquet abuse and for verbal abuse when she accused umpire Carlos Ramos of being “a thief” during Saturday’s stormy final.
Williams was incensed at the coaching violation, although coach Patrick Mouratoglou, sitting in her box, admitted that he was coaching when he moved his hands.
That violation carried a $4000 fine, while a second violation for racquet abuse -- after she smashed her racquet after dropping her serve in the fifth game of the second set -- cost her $3000.
The second violation also cost her a point in the match, sparking her renewed verbal attack on Ramos, a code violation which carried a $10,000 fine.
Her third code violation of the match also cost her a game, putting Osaka on the brink of what would be a 6-2, 6-4 victory that made her the first Japanese player to win a Grand Slam title.
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