Former world number one Novak Djokovic defeated Joao Sousa 6-3 6-4 6-3 on Monday to reach the last eight at the US Open. The 31-year-old Serb captured two breaks in the first set, then had to recover from a break down in the second and had to battle the heat once again in the third. Djokovic requested a medical time-out during the third set due to the intense heat and then he got the decisive break which allowed him to serve out the match. This was the first time in a Grand Slam fourth round for Joao Sousa, who has never managed to win a set against Djokovic.
Novak Djokovic has reached the semi-finals of the US Open in every year he has competed since 2006. He will face Australian John Millman in the quarter-finals, everybody was expecting Roger Federer to be the next opponent for Djokovic but the Swiss was unable to win his fourth-round match. Millman, aged 29, had never beaten a top-10 player before and will play his first ever Grand Slam quarter-final against Djokovic on Wednesday. In the other matches on Monday, Kei Nishikori defeated Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3 6-2 7-5 and Marin Cilic beat David Goffin 7-6 (8-6) 6-2 6-4
Despite having won in straight sets, Djokovic appeared to have a tough time with the heat in the third set. Moreover, he had similar problems during his first-round match against Marton Fucsovics last week. "I prefer not to talk about how difficult it was," Djokovic said after the match. "We are blessed to play this sport and this is one of the biggest stages. I'm not 21 any more. I still don't feel old but at the same time there is a biological clock that doesn't work in your favour like it does when you're 20. You have a team to get you ready, but sometimes you just have to survive."
Novak Djokovic is now 11/10 at Bet365 to win the US Open at the end of this week.
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