"6:0", "6:1", "6:2"——
This is the score of the last match of the day on the ninth day of the competition, from the men's singles quarterfinals. Guess who won? World No. 1 Djokovic.
Shocked, stunned, disappointed, and full of discussions.
Although people had foreseen that Djokovic should be the more favored party, the entire game, from the process to the score, from the situation to the scene, the complete collapse and one-sided sweep were completely unexpected.
Last year, Cilic played the best of his career on this court. Although he lost to Gawain in the final and missed the best chance to become a Grand Slam champion, Cilic still showed his talent and ability and proved that he can perform at the top level on the Grand Slam stage.
Similar to Dimitrov and Raonic, Cilic also experienced a nightmare year, going through injuries, lows, and a long test of rehabilitation. Finally, at the end of the long dark tunnel, he regained his touch and returned to his blessed land, bursting out with amazing energy in Flushing.
Maybe, facing Djokovic, Cilic is indeed not at an advantage, but considering that he defeated Federer here last year, at least people can have more expectations.
Before the match, Cilic admitted that he had never defeated Djokovic in his career, but now he is slowly getting on the right track. He believes that he can go all out and find a way to win. Perhaps this encounter will be the one that will bring a breakthrough.
However--
Defeat.
The entire match lasted only 88 minutes, and Cilic had already lost all his weapons and was in disarray. What was really disappointing was not the win or loss, but the fact that Cilic was unable to organize a decent attack throughout the match. The game was so absurd that there was not even a single bright moment.
This is the most regrettable thing.
Of course, from Djokovic's perspective, it was a resounding victory. He strode into the semi-finals and continued to improve his form.
There is no doubt that Djokovic proved his strength with his unparalleled performance, and the world No. 1 once again aimed at the championship.
He is still full of desire.
It is not only a battle for the world's number one title, but also a Grand Slam title. Djokovic has shown his desire and his passion is still rising.
For the audience, after experiencing the ups and downs of the Williams sisters' civil war at night, the ending of the ninth day of competition was obviously unsatisfactory; but on second thought, the list of matchups for the upper half of the semi-finals was officially released, and the excitement and excitement could no longer be suppressed.
"Djokovic vs Dimitrov".
In an instant, my memory went back to Wimbledon in 2014. Dimitrov, who had attracted much attention because of Sharapova, had his first breakthrough in his career. After defeating Murray, he entered the Grand Slam semi-finals. He also performed at a top level in the next match against Djokovic.
Unfortunately, Djokovic was still more skilled and won two consecutive tiebreaks in the third and fourth sets, and finally won the final four sets.
In the blink of an eye, it is now the present time. Dimitrov has reached the Grand Slam semi-finals for the second time in his career and will face the huge mountain of Djokovic again.
So, what about this time?
Is the ending different?
The topic is warming up little by little, the anticipation is rising steadily, and then, all eyes are focused on the next game day.
The tenth match day.
For the first time, the US Open organizing committee made a bold and risky decision, which was even called crazy.
During the day session, two women's singles matches were arranged.
Two men's singles matches are scheduled for the night session.
Generally speaking, the US Open and the Australian Open do not arrange night events like this.
The reason is very simple. The night games start relatively late. If two men's singles games are arranged, as long as one of the games lasts longer, the follow-up may get into trouble. The possibility of the final finishing time exceeding the midnight threshold will also increase sharply, which is not a good thing for both the audience and the players.
What's more, if both games were prolonged...
However.
The US Open organizing committee arranged it this way, which is so crazy that before the game even started, it has already sparked countless heated discussions.
It is widely speculated that due to Sharapova's absence, the box office appeal of women's singles this year has declined significantly. Neither Halep nor Azarenka has been able to mobilize the box office, especially in the quarterfinals, when the big stadium needs some focus to stimulate the eye.
So, this arrangement was made.
After all, this is the US Open, a Grand Slam that never recognizes any relatives when it comes to real commercial interests and has never concealed its commercial intentions. But facts have also proved that this is indeed the Grand Slam that commercial sponsors love most and is also a Grand Slam where commercial operations are successful.
There were many voices on social networks expressing their dissatisfaction with Halep and Azarenka, but these voices ultimately failed to change the decision of the tournament.
As a result, the upset that had spread from Flushing Meadows on the first day of the competition continued all the way, with another shocking upset occurring in the women's singles competition.
Italian veteran Flavia-Pennetta defeated Kvitova in three sets and reached the semi-finals of a Grand Slam singles tournament for the second time in her career after the 2013 US Open.
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Following Roberta-Vinci, who defeated French rookie Mladenovic to enter the semi-finals yesterday, the second Italian veteran advanced to the semi-finals. Vinci was born in 1983 and Pennetta was born in 1982. The two mainstays who have always lacked outstanding performances in the singles arena of the tour both had a breakthrough in this year's Flushing Meath.
The weird atmosphere in Flushing is still spreading this year, with accidents happening one after another, and no one knows where the end is.
As for the other match, it was not an upset, but it was still a small surprise. The two favorites to win the championship met in a narrow road, and the brave one won.
"Halep VS Azarenka".
In the US Open series, Halep performed well, reaching the finals in Montreal and Cincinnati respectively, but unfortunately finished second in both events. This year, she was seeded second at the US Open and is widely considered one of the favorites to win the title this year.
But what’s interesting is that Azarenka, who performed mediocrely in the warm-up matches, was considered the favorite to win the title after Serena Williams. Her odds soared and even surpassed Halep at one point. After Sharapova withdrew from the competition, she was also considered the best substitute to challenge Serena Williams.
Obviously, both players have something to prove.
In the end, Halep defeated Azarenka in three hard-fought sets and returned to the Grand Slam semi-finals after last year's French Open and Wimbledon.
The situation is somewhat delicate.
Everyone says that this year's WTA is full of upsets, but when it comes to the semi-finals, the chaos presents a delicate balance.
In the upper half, “Serena Williams VS Vinci”.
In the lower half, “Halep VS Pennetta”.
The number one and number two seeds remained in the draw and successfully advanced to the semi-finals; they are about to face two veterans from Italy. Vinci and Pennetta both wrote miracles and ushered in a breakthrough in their careers.
Such a confrontation presents a special order in the chaos.
So, what about the men's singles competition?
On the tenth match day at Arthur Ashe Stadium, there are two major night games waiting to kick off.