Four-time champion Novak Djokovic battles hard to beat Britain’s Cameron Norrie and become the oldest man in over three decades to reach US Open last 16; admits his body’s wear and tear no longer makes him feel 100 percentage
Novak Djokovic celebrates his win over Cameron Norrie in New York on Friday. Pics/Getty Images
Novak Djokovic shook off a back problem to beat Britain’s Cameron Norrie in four sets on Friday to became the oldest man to reach the US Open last 16 since Jimmy Connors in 1991. The 38-year-old Djokovic defeated Norrie 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-2, 6-3, staying in the hunt for an unprecedented 25th major title. But the Serbian star admitted whether his body can still withstand the grind of a two-week long Grand Slam is potentially beyond his control.
“In terms of how I’m feeling, it really goes up and down, to be honest,” said Djokovic, who was compromised by injury at the Australian Open and Wimbledon earlier this year. “It’s frustrating for me, honestly, that I’m not able to feel 100 percentage always like I have for 20-plus years.
Britain’s Cameron Norrie during his defeat to Novak Djokovic
“I guess the circumstances are quite different and I have to get used to the fact that every match there’s something that might happen as it has been the case this year pretty much every Slam.” Djokovic earned a record 192nd Grand Slam match win on hard courts and also tied Roger Federer’s mark of last-16 appearances at the majors with 69.
Physical test
The four-time US Open champion has designs on going much further though, health permitting. “If the body doesn’t listen to me when I go deep in the Grand Slam tournaments, as it was kind of the case last few Slams, then that’s a hard one to swallow for me,” said Djokovic.
“I know the amount of hours I’m putting in daily to care for my body, but at the same time, you know, biological age is not something that I guess you can reverse.” Djokovic has now defeated Norrie in all seven of their meetings and is through to the fourth round in New York for the 16th time.
Alcaraz through, Shelton out
Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz surged into the fourth round on Friday as American hopes of ending the country’s 22-year wait for a men’s champion suffered a blow with the exits of Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe. Spanish second seed Alcaraz breezed past Italian 32nd seed Luciano Darderi in emphatic fashion, winning 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 on the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Alcaraz’s one hour 44-minute victory sends the 2022 US Open champion into a meeting on Sunday against France’s Arthur Rinderknech, who defeated compatriot Benjamin Bonzi 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2. Shelton, 22, was leading 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 but clutched his shoulder in pain early in the fourth set and called a medical timeout. He recovered but retired after Mannarino took the fourth set. Shelton’s exit was followed by compatriot Tiafoe, the 17th seed who lost 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (9/7) to German veteran Jan-Lennard Struff.
16
No. of times Novak Djokovic has reached Round 4 at the US Open
7
No. of times Djokovic has played against and beaten Cameron Norrie (including this tie)
192
No. of hard-court Grand Slam wins for Djokovic, surpassing Swiss maestro Roger Federer (191) for the most victories
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