U.S. Open: Novak Djokovic makes history on reaching another quarterfinal; to meet Taylor Fritz next

Novak Djokovic was cruising together with an enormous early lead in his U.S. Open fourth-round match on Sunday evening when his neck began bothering him. That did not cease Djokovic from dominating 144th-ranked qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 to succeed in his report sixty fourth Grand Slam quarterfinal.

Djokovic made historical past on the age of 38 to change into the oldest man to succeed in the quarter-finals in any respect 4 Grand Slams in a single season.

Djokovic was forward of 4-0, 15-love when he hit a properly angled volley winner to go up 30-love in that sport. The 24-time Grand Slam champion instantly grabbed behind his neck and began turning his head.

The 38-year-old Djokovic stored making an attempt to stretch his neck or flex his proper shoulder between factors, and he went on to drop that sport and the following one, too. However he quickly regained the higher hand in opposition to Struff, who beat Frances Tiafoe within the earlier spherical and was making an attempt to get to a significant quarterfinal for the primary time.

After enhancing to 8-0 in opposition to Struff, Djokovic now carries a 10-0 head-to-head report into his quarterfinal on Tuesday in opposition to 2024 U.S. Open runner-up Taylor Fritz.

The No. 4-seeded Fritz, the final American man within the bracket, moved into the quarterfinals with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 victory Sunday in opposition to No. 21 Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic.

After Djokovic completed off that opening set in opposition to Struff, he was visited by a coach for therapy throughout the ensuing changeover. Djokovic was given a therapeutic massage to his neck and shoulder.

If he was nonetheless in discomfort, his play wasn’t actually affected in any respect. Throughout the break after that set, Djokovic had his proper forearm massaged. However once more, there have been no indicators of bother when the ball was in play.

Djokovic had trainers work on him earlier within the match, too, together with for blisters on a foot within the first spherical and for a lower-back challenge within the third.

He is received 4 championships in New York, most not too long ago in 2023.