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Friday 7 September 2018
Djokovic tops Federer's conqueror for 11th U.S. Open SF in row

By HOWARD FENDRICH was able to come through
NEW YORK (AP) — No- on only four of his 20 break
vak Djokovic put aside all points.
of it, from his opponent's There were other issues for
unheard-of, middle-of-a- him, too, including in the
set chance to change out third set when, ahead by
of sweat-soaked clothes a break, he was called by
and shoes, to consecutive the chair umpire for allow-
time violations because he ing the 25-second serve
let the serve clock expire, clock, making its Grand
to the 16 break points he Slam debut at this tourna-
wasted. ment, to run out on back-
All that mattered, really, to-back points. After the
was that Djokovic man- first, he double-faulted,
aged to do what Roger Fe- and he wound up getting
derer could not two nights broken there. But he broke
earlier: beat 55th-ranked back in the match's next-
John Millman at the U.S. to-last game, then served
Open. out the victory at love. "I
Djokovic moved a step think the guy's beat a brick
closer to a third champion- wall once," Millman said,
ship at Flushing Meadows "because he makes you
and 14th Grand Slam title Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, watches a return to John Millman, of Australia, during the quarterfinals work hard for every point
overall by eliminating Mill- of the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2018, in New York. and it's relentless."q
man 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 to get to Associated Press
the tournament's semifinals
for an 11th appearance in "I was, alongside many oth- of games, rather than at an on and cooled off.
a row. He sat out last year er people, anticipating the odd-game changeover. "I didn't even know the
because of an injured right match against Federer," "I was struggling. He was rule," said Millman, whose
elbow. Djokovic said. struggling. We were all request to leave briefly was
The No. 6-seeded Djokovic, This night was cooler, as sweating. Changing a permitted based on some-
who won Wimbledon in the temperature dipped lot of T-shirts, shorts," said thing called the "Equip-
July, had been drawn to into the 70s, but the humid- Djokovic, who will face ment Out of Adjustment"
face Federer in the quar- ity was above 80 percent, 2014 U.S. Open runner-up provision in the Internation-
terfinals. But Millman scut- so with Millman drenched, Kei Nishikori on Friday. "Just al Tennis Federation guide-
tled that showdown by he sought permission for a trying to find a way to hang lines, because his sweat
stunning the 20-time Grand wardrobe change at 2-all in in there." was making the court slip-
Slam champ in four sets in the second set. It was odd When Millman apologized pery.
the fourth round on a hot enough to see a player be for leaving the court at that Widely considered the
and humid evening that allowed to do that during, juncture, Djokovic replied, best returner in the game,
Federer said sapped his en- instead of after, a set, but "I'm fine to have a little rest," Djokovic kept accumulat-
ergy and made it hard to even odder for it to hap- then sat down on his side- ing chances — and then
breathe. pen after an even number line bench without a shirt failing to cash them in. He

U.S. Open tournament director: Courts were slowed 'a touch'

By HOWARD FENDRICH all courts." American players when
AP Tennis Writer The amount of sand or it comes to the court sur-
NEW YORK (AP) — Roger other granular items in the face?' And I don't ever re-
Federer called this "the surface's top layer can be call having that conversa-
slowest U.S. Open we've adjusted to make a court tion in my 20 years here,"
seen in years." faster, which is what's re- Brewer said.
Turns out that was no ac- sponsible for the change, No U.S. man has won the sin-
cident. according to Brewer, rath- gles title in New York since
U.S. Open tournament di- er than the recent switch Andy Roddick in 2003, and
rector David Brewer said from asphalt to cement none has even reached
Wednesday night that the underneath each court at the semifinals since Rod-
Grand Slam event's hard Flushing Meadows. dick in 2006. The highest-
courts were purposely He added that he can't seeded American man,
slowed down "a touch" in remember any concerted No. 11 John Isner, lost in
response to players noting effort to alter court speeds the quarterfinals this week.
in recent years that the sur- Roger Federer, of Switzerland, returns a shot to John Millman, of around the facility with the Last year, all four women's
Australia, during the fourth round of the U.S. Open tennis tourna-
face seemed to be speed- ment, Monday, Sept. 3, 2018, in New York. intention of helping Ameri- semifinalists were Ameri-
ing up. Associated Press can players do well in the cans, including champion
"In the general feedback country's Grand Slam tour- Sloane Stephens. Two of
we've gotten from players to have been getting was: needed to address that nament. the four women who play
the last couple of years — The courts were sort of a little bit this year. At the "I'm just trying to think if in Thursday's semifinals are
a range of players, both gradually creeping up in same time, we wanted we've ever sat down and from the United States, Ser-
male and female — the speed," Brewer said in an to ensure we had really said, 'All right, look, what ena Williams and Madison
commonality we seemed interview. "We just felt we good consistency across can we do to advantage Keys.q