Taiwan’s Chan Yung-jan advanced to the semi-finals of the mixed doubles at the US Open on Tuesday, while defending champion Novak Djokovic booked a 10th straight men’s singles semi-final appearance when Jo-Wilfried Tsonga retired trailing 6-3, 6-2 in their marquee quarter-final.
Chan and Nenad Zimonjic battled back from a set down to oust second seeds Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan and Bruno Soares of Brazil 1-6, 6-3, 13-11 in 73 minutes in their quarter-final on the Grandstand Court at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
“Semis!!!! Was a really close match today, so glad that we came back after losing the first set, and won the super tiebreaker 13-11 at the end! Will keep the same energy and attitude for the next round!” Chan wrote on Facebook following the victory.
Photo: AFP
The Taiwanese-Serbian duo hit 28 winners and converted two of four break points, winning 57 of the 111 points contested to advance to a semi-final against Laura Siegemund of Germany and Mate Pavic of Croatia.
In the men’s singles, it was the third time in five matches that an opponent’s injury worked to Djokovic’s advantage, after his walkover into the third round when Mikhail Youzhny retired after just six games.
Ninth seed Tsonga gave him more of a workout, but even before an apparent left-knee injury began to trouble the Frenchman in the second set Djokovic had the match well in hand.
The Serbian world No. 1 next faces another Frenchman, Gael Monfils, for a place in Sunday’s final after the 10th seed pummeled compatriot Lucas Pouille 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.
It was the first time in 89 years that three Frenchmen had reached the quarter-finals of the US Open.
Tsonga was the highest seed among them, but his challenge ended with a whimper.
Down two breaks at 2-5 in the second, he called for the trainer, wincing as his knee was manipulated.
A merciless Djokovic then served out the set at love, firing a 190kph ace — his first of the contest — on set point.
After Tsonga opened the third set with a double fault he called a halt.
“I really wish Jo a quick recovery,” Djokovic said. “He’s a fighter, he’s somebody that loves the big stage.”
In Monfils, 12-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic faces a player whose only prior semi-final run at a major came back in 2008 at the French Open.
Monfils was in control throughout against the 22-year-old Pouille, who was coming off an epic fifth-set tiebreaker win over 14-time major winner Rafael Nadal.
That marked the 24th seed’s third consecutive five-setter. Whether it was a let-down after the biggest win of his career or sheer fatigue, his 44 unforced errors meant he never stood a chance against a dialed-in Monfils.
“Of course, I was a bit tired today,” Pouille said. “It would have been better if I played a bit less time on court. Gael was playing very good. He was better than me today.”
In the women’s singles, Caroline Wozniacki’s dramatic resurgence continued when the former world No. 1 defeated a hobbling Anastasija Sevastova to reach a fourth semi-final.
The two-time runner-up, ranked at a lowly 74 after an injury-hit campaign, eased to a 6-0, 6-2 win and next faces second seed Angelique Kerber for a place in Saturday’s final.
Sevastova, playing in her first Grand Slam quarter-final, never recovered from falling and turning her right ankle in the second game of the opening set.
“I feel really sorry for her as I have had that injury before,” said 26-year-old Wozniacki, who is set to return to the top 30 as a result of her surprise run in New York.
Australian Open champion Kerber defeated Italy’s Roberta Vinci 7-5, 6-0 to reach her second semi-final in New York having also made the last four in 2011.
Kerber holds a 7-5 career record over Wozniacki.
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