U.S. Open: Who Can Beat Novak in New York? (Part 1)
Novak Djokovic dispatched Marcell Granollers of Spain in straight sets, 6-3, 6-0, 6-2 in the fourth round of the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows, New York. The question in everyone’s mind is: can anyone stop the Serbian in his rally to another Grand Slam title?
Here’s quick look at the remaining survivors in the men’s draw of the last tennis slam of the year, their history and how they fared against Djokovic in the past.
Mikhail Youzhny (Russia) vs. Djokovic
Head-to-head: 3 wins vs. 5 losses
Last match: 2013 Loss – ATP World Tour Masters (Monacco) Round of 32, 6-4, 1-6, 4-6
Last win: 2010 - Rotterdam (Netherlands) Semifinals, 7-6(5), 7-5(6)
Youzhny has a total of 10 stints in the U.S. Open, and the best results came in 2006 and 2010 when both times he made the semifinals. In his last match, he was down a set and trailed 2-4 games in the fourth set against Australian Lleyton Hewitt but pulled off the big comeback to win the match, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4, 7-5. The Russian meets the Serbian in the quarterfinals of the 2013 U.S. Open.
Richard Gasquet (France) vs. Djokovic
Head-to-head: 1 win vs. 8 losses
Last match: 2013 Loss – ATP World Tour (Montreal) Quarterfinals, 1-6, 2-6
Last win: 2007 – Tennis Masters Cup (China) Round-robin, 6-4, 6-2
Four times—2005, 2006, 2010 and 2012—Gasquet reached the fourth round of the U.S. Open but never advanced past it. In 2013, he’s got the chance to change that and make the quarterfinals for the first time if he beats David Ferrer in the fourth round.
Rafael Nadal (Spain) vs. Djokovic
Head-to-head: 21 wins vs. 15 losses
Last match: 2013 Win - ATP World Tour Masters (Montreal) Semifinals, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (2)
Last win: 2013 - ATP World Tour Masters (Montreal) Semifinals, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (2)
Nadal is the only player left in the 2013 U.S. Open with a career winning record vs. Djokovic, winning 21 out of 36 matches. Nadal has lost only a set (vs. Philip Kohlschreiber in the fourth round) so far and will be facing compatriot Tommy Robredo in the quarterfinals.
READ ALSO: U.S. Open: Who Can Beat Novak in New York? (Part 2)
U.S. Open – Men’s Singles Quarterfinals Pairing:
Mikhail Youzhny vs. Novak Djokovic
Andy Murray/Denis Istomin vs. Stanislas Wawrinka
Richard Gasquet vs. David Ferrer
Tommy Robredo vs. Rafael Nadal