NEW YORK (AFP) – Novak Djokovic conjured a trademark comeback from two sets down to defeat Serbian compatriot Laslo Djere in a five-set thriller and seal his place in the US Open Last 16.
Second seed Djokovic recovered from a sluggish start on the Arthur Ashe Stadium to complete a 4-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 victory in 3hr 45min.
The win marked the eighth time in Djokovic’s career that he has overturned 0-2 deficit to win in five sets at a Grand Slam tournament.
Once again, it was the 36-year-old 23-time Grand Slam singles champion’s near-superhuman composure under pressure that came to the rescue.
Home favorite Coco Gauff clawed closer towards a potential showdown with defending champion Iga Swiatek.
The in-form Gauff, coming off titles in Washington and Cincinnati, had to dig deep to withstand Belgium’s Elise Mertens as the 19-year-old American fought her way to a 3-6, 6-3, 6-0 victory.
Gauff, taken to the distance in the opening round, held off a barrage of break points early in the second set before swinging the momentum in her favour as Mertens began to falter.
She finished off in style by winning 10 games on the bounce to book a fourth-round meeting with Caroline Wozniacki, moving her one win away from a possible blockbuster quarter-final with Swiatek.
The Pole briefly put sentiment to one side as she demolished 145th-ranked Slovenian qualifier and best friend Kaja Juvan, 6-0, 6-1, in just 49 minutes to storm into the fourth round.
Swiatek is bidding to become the first woman to successfully defend her US Open crown since Serena Williams won a hat-trick of titles from 2012-2014.
She next faces 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, who beat Bernarda Pera in three sets.
Former world number one Wozniacki, playing her first Grand Slam in over three years, kept her fairytale US Open return going with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 win over Jennifer Brady.
Czech 10th seed Karolina Muchova qualified for the last 16 courtesy of a 7-6 (7/0), 6-3 win over Taylor Townsend.
