Stan Wawrinka Advances as Novak Djokovic Retires from Match, Daniil Medvedev Relishes the Boos, Reaches Final Eight of US Open
(September 1, 2019) FLUSHING MEADOWS, NY – Former US Open champion Stan Wawrinka has reached the quarterfinals as No. 1 and defending champion Novak Djokovic was forced to retire with a left shoulder injury with the Swiss leading 6-4, 7-5, 2-1,
“I congratulate Stan. He’s a great player, “ Djokovic said in his post-match news conference. “I really wish him all the best the rest of the tournament.
“I don’t want to talk about my injuries. I said that in the past. I’m sticking to that.”
“He loves to play on the big stage against the best players of the world. It’s what got him three slams and Olympic gold and everything.
“He struggled himself with a lot of injuries, so he understands. He knows how it is. It’s great to see him playing on the highest level.”
”I’m super happy with the level to be here in front of you winning tonight, “ said Wawrinka to media. “For sure it’s very special to play the No. 1 player in the world.
“Sorry he had to retire to finish the game like that, but for me, most important is the way I’m playing, the way I’m moving. Tonight I think was really high level. That’s the most important.”
“I was feeling good on the court,” Wawrinka said. “I was playing well. The more the match was going, better I was playing, I was hitting really hard the ball. I was feeling great on the court. That’s the most important.
“For sure I could see some little thing that he was in trouble. But I was most likely, most of the time, focused on myself because I know how well he can fight. I know how well he can come back. Doesn’t matter how he’s feeling on the court, and that’s what I was focusing on.”
Fans booed Djokovic after he retired and was walking off the court. Wawrinka said of the spectators that he was shocked at the reaction. “Always surprised when you play the No. 1 and you hear the fans booing him when he had to retire, that’s for sure.
“Again, he’s a good friend. I know him really well. He’s amazing champion, and if he has to retire, it’s not the best for a tennis player to have to leave the court like that.”
Speaking of booing, Wawrinka will play Medvedev for a spot in the semifinals. “I saw a lot of drama happening this year at the US Open. But it’s a lot of fun also to watch for everybody,“ said the Swiss in regard to Medvedev.
“I saw also he’s been playing amazing tennis, making final after final, winning Cincinnati, winning here a lot. It’s going to be interesting match to play against him. I’m looking forward for it. It’s the quarterfinal. It’s going to be, for sure, a great level. I’m excited to play.”
As for Djokovic, he may be out of the US Open, but don’t count him out of the hunt for more majors in the future.
“Look, it’s no secret that I have, you know, of course desire and a goal to reach the most slams, you know, and reach Roger’s record, “he said. “But at the same time, it’s a long road ahead hopefully for me. I hope I can play for many more years. I’m planning to. I mean, I don’t see an end behind the corner at all.
“Now it’s a matter of keeping my body and mind in shape and trying to still peak at these kind of events that are majors and that are the most significant in our sport.”
Dancing his way into the final eight! ?
Daniil Medvedev is through to the first Grand Slam quarterfinal of his career after fighting past Koepfer in four sets.@DaniilMedwed | #USOpen pic.twitter.com/wbTz7jahMr
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 2, 2019
Daniil Medvedev beat German qualifier Dominik Koepfer 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (2) in Louis Armstrong Stadium to reach the quarterfinals of the US Open on Sunday night, and he welcomed the fans booing.
It stems from Friday night when fans were booing the Russian after he grabbed a towel from a ballperson and gave a middle finger to the crowd on the side of his face during a chngeover.
Medvedev 2, US Open crowd 0 pic.twitter.com/mKNngZFik5
— Charles Jabaley (@Charles_Jabaley) September 2, 2019
“You give me so much energy to win, thank you!” he said after the match. “You are the best!”
In his news conference, Medvedev was more apologetic.
“I mean, talking about last match, I was an idiot, to be honest,” he admitted. “I did some things that I’m not proud of and that I’m working on to be a better person on the court because I do think I’m a good person out of the court.
“Talking about today, I think, I mean, I was just, during my match I was completely focused. After the match, I engaged a little bit with the crowd. But we all know how New York crowd can be. It’s probably the most electric crowd in the world, I think.
“Especially, I mean, playing this week on big courts, I could feel it. Today I was just engaging with the crowd and hopefully — hopefully it was fun for them and for me. As I said, it gave me a lot of energy to win.”
Medvedev will play Stan Wawrinka next.
“I want to say that I have huge respect for both of them. They are both amazing champions of our sport.
“Or if Stan wins, I played him in Wimbledon. I think that was our only meeting. Totally different. Grass, I was young, I was less experienced, so I was on fire that match.
“I think that Stan also in Grand Slams, he’s playing right now better than on other tournaments.”
More to follow…
