<p> Novak Djok-ovic’s strange US Open path took another odd turn as the defending champion defied stultifying humidity and the controversial tactics of Gael Monfils to book a title showdown with Stanislas Wawrinka.<br /><br /></p>.<p>World number one and defending champion Djokovic prevailed 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 in a bizarre semifinal last night that saw 10th-seeded Monfils roundly booed and accused of not trying.<br /><br />Third-seeded Wawrinka withstood an early onslaught from sixth-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan, asserting himself in the later stages to claim a 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-2 victory.<br /><br />Although Djokovic holds a 19-4 record over Wawrinka, including two victories since the Swiss player shocked him the French Open final last year, Wawrinka welcomed the chance to take him on again.<br /><br />“To play Novak again it will be very special,” he said.Djokovic admitted he was “completely caught off guard” when Monfils, down 0-5 in the first in 15 minutes, stood lackadaisically in the court and began chipping the ball back.<br /><br />The strategy paid off as Monfils reeled off three games in a row. It was Djokovic who emerged with the set, however, and as the Serbian star raced through the second Monfils’s interest again appeared to wane.<br /><br />By the sixth game the 30-year-old had won just nine points, which he managed to nudge into double figures by the end of it.<br /><br />Monfils, playing in only his second Grand Slam semifinal after making the last-four at the 2008 French Open, theatrically hobbled off the court and was jeered.<br /><br />He was booed again by sections of the 20,000-strong crowd as he dropped the first game of the third set.<br /><br />Monfils said his tactics were a deliberate attempt “to get inside his head”.A more orthodox approach saw Monfils break back for 2-2 and again for 4-2 in a third set that saw Djokovic receive treatment on his left shoulder.<br /><br />Although Djokovic saved one set point, and gave himself three break chances in the ninth game, Monfils was able to extend the match, marking the moment with a mighty roar to which Djokovic responded by ripping off his shirt.<br /><br />“I think I should not have allowed him to come back to the match after two sets to love up and 2-love in the third,” Djokovic said.<br /><br />“He started believing in himself. I think the crowd disliked his efforts towards the end of the second set. I think he felt like he needs to step it up and start to play better, which he did.”<br /><br />After giving back an early break in the fourth Djokovic had treatment on his right shoulder, but he broke twice more to close out the win.<br /><br />Djokovic arrived at the semifinals having played just two complete matches in five prior rounds after a walkover from one opponent and the mid-match retirements of two others.<br /><br />Wawrinka’s arduous path to the title match included saving a match point in the third round. He’s spent 17 hours and 54 minutes on court.<br /><br />Nishikori, coming off his own five-set quarterfinal triumph over world number two Andy Murray, seized the initiative with a near flawless first set.<br /><br />He broke Wawrinka again to open the second, but the Swiss was gradually beginning to find his range and regained the break. After saving a bevy of break points, he broke in the 12th game to level the match at two sets apiece.<br /><br />After taking the third and breaking Nishkori at love for a 2-0 lead in the fourth, Wawrinka appeared to be on his way.<br /><br />Nishikori’s last gasp was a break in the fifth game, but a quick break back and a hold at love and Wawrinka was back in charge.<br /><br />Jamie-Bruno triumph <br /><br />Britain's Jamie Murray and Brazil's Bruno Soares swept the Spanish duo of Pablo Carreno Busta and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2, 6-3 to win the US Open doubles on Saturday for their second grand slam title of the year.<br /></p>
<p> Novak Djok-ovic’s strange US Open path took another odd turn as the defending champion defied stultifying humidity and the controversial tactics of Gael Monfils to book a title showdown with Stanislas Wawrinka.<br /><br /></p>.<p>World number one and defending champion Djokovic prevailed 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 in a bizarre semifinal last night that saw 10th-seeded Monfils roundly booed and accused of not trying.<br /><br />Third-seeded Wawrinka withstood an early onslaught from sixth-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan, asserting himself in the later stages to claim a 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-2 victory.<br /><br />Although Djokovic holds a 19-4 record over Wawrinka, including two victories since the Swiss player shocked him the French Open final last year, Wawrinka welcomed the chance to take him on again.<br /><br />“To play Novak again it will be very special,” he said.Djokovic admitted he was “completely caught off guard” when Monfils, down 0-5 in the first in 15 minutes, stood lackadaisically in the court and began chipping the ball back.<br /><br />The strategy paid off as Monfils reeled off three games in a row. It was Djokovic who emerged with the set, however, and as the Serbian star raced through the second Monfils’s interest again appeared to wane.<br /><br />By the sixth game the 30-year-old had won just nine points, which he managed to nudge into double figures by the end of it.<br /><br />Monfils, playing in only his second Grand Slam semifinal after making the last-four at the 2008 French Open, theatrically hobbled off the court and was jeered.<br /><br />He was booed again by sections of the 20,000-strong crowd as he dropped the first game of the third set.<br /><br />Monfils said his tactics were a deliberate attempt “to get inside his head”.A more orthodox approach saw Monfils break back for 2-2 and again for 4-2 in a third set that saw Djokovic receive treatment on his left shoulder.<br /><br />Although Djokovic saved one set point, and gave himself three break chances in the ninth game, Monfils was able to extend the match, marking the moment with a mighty roar to which Djokovic responded by ripping off his shirt.<br /><br />“I think I should not have allowed him to come back to the match after two sets to love up and 2-love in the third,” Djokovic said.<br /><br />“He started believing in himself. I think the crowd disliked his efforts towards the end of the second set. I think he felt like he needs to step it up and start to play better, which he did.”<br /><br />After giving back an early break in the fourth Djokovic had treatment on his right shoulder, but he broke twice more to close out the win.<br /><br />Djokovic arrived at the semifinals having played just two complete matches in five prior rounds after a walkover from one opponent and the mid-match retirements of two others.<br /><br />Wawrinka’s arduous path to the title match included saving a match point in the third round. He’s spent 17 hours and 54 minutes on court.<br /><br />Nishikori, coming off his own five-set quarterfinal triumph over world number two Andy Murray, seized the initiative with a near flawless first set.<br /><br />He broke Wawrinka again to open the second, but the Swiss was gradually beginning to find his range and regained the break. After saving a bevy of break points, he broke in the 12th game to level the match at two sets apiece.<br /><br />After taking the third and breaking Nishkori at love for a 2-0 lead in the fourth, Wawrinka appeared to be on his way.<br /><br />Nishikori’s last gasp was a break in the fifth game, but a quick break back and a hold at love and Wawrinka was back in charge.<br /><br />Jamie-Bruno triumph <br /><br />Britain's Jamie Murray and Brazil's Bruno Soares swept the Spanish duo of Pablo Carreno Busta and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2, 6-3 to win the US Open doubles on Saturday for their second grand slam title of the year.<br /></p>