NOVAK Djokovic is still on track to win all four Grand Slams in 2021 – and break the all-time record of 20 total Slams – after overcoming a disappointing first set to put away the last remaining United States representative in Next-Gen talent, Jenson Brooksby. It was a disappointing day for the American contingent, with best home Slam hope Reilly Opelka ousted by fellow big server Lloyd Harris, whilst top six seeds Alexander Zverev and Matteo Berrettini won their respective German-Italian clashes to finish the day at 1-1 between the nations.

World number one Djokovic came into the clash with Brooksby – who had risen to 80th in the world thanks to his Round of 16 run – as heavy favourite. Though it was the young American who surprised the Serbian with a dominant first set, breaking twice times and taking it out 6-1. As many expected, Djokovic preserved his energy towards the end of the set and then came out firing after that, only dropping one more game for the remaining three sets compared to his first set, winning it easily, 1-6 6-3 6-2 6-2 to book yet another Grand Slam quarter final. Having been defaulted last year due to an incident hitting a ballperson, Djokovic is on track to go all the way for a record 21st Grand Slam, serving nine aces and hitting 45 winners to 27 in the contest with Brooksby. He won 73 and 54 per cent of his first and second serve points compared to the American’s 62 and 39 per cent, to run out the match stronger in just under three hours.

“I must say that it wasn’t a great start for me, obviously. Jenson was pumped. He had a clear game plan, was executing well all the shots very efficiently,” Djokovic said post-match. “I was really on the back foot. I didn’t have the rhythm, made a lot of unforced errors and he was reading the play very well for about a set and a half.”

Now the world number one takes on sixth seed Berrettini, who toppled German qualifier Oscar Otte. Berrettini won in four sets, 6-4 3-6 6-3 6-2, getting more than he bargained for in the second set against the 170th ranked Otte, but steadying as he took control and the German started to tire and struggled with a wrist injury. The Italian needed two hours and 24 minutes to grab the win, doubling his opponent in aces (12-6), and hitting 44 winners to 23. He also only dropped seven points off his first serve, broken just once in that second set, and otherwise broke the German four times from five chances, and was in control when at the net.

“It was an intriguing match, as I expected. Different court, tricky player. I wasn’t feeling really good at the beginning,” Berrettini said post-match. “I had to adjust to the conditions and it was a match that I knew I could win and it’s never easy when it’s like that.

“I felt the pressure a little bit but I handled it pretty well. He was playing well and also the right way to not let me play my best tennis. “Oscar had a great run and I told him that he didn’t deserve [to go out with an injury], but that’s tennis. “It happened to me in Australia this year. “It’s never easy but he can take a lot of good from this tournament.”

Exacting revenge for his countryman, fourth seed Zverev knocked off Berrettini’s compatriot in young gun Jannik Sinner, cruising through in straight sets. They were a tough three sets though, with the German getting up 6-4 6-4 7-6 in two hours and 25 minutes, and the third set tiebreaker went all the way to 9-7. Whilst the Italian teenager was impressive, Zverev hit seven more winners (37-30) for the same amount of unforced errors (38), whilst breaking three times to one. Both players were hard to shake on their serve, which is why Zverev standing up for crucial breaks in the first two sets proved the difference in the end.

“Players with confidence who have played a lot of matches usually know what to do in these situations,” Zverev said post-match. “I think I played pretty good tennis in the second set and the first set as well. I feel like I played one bad game in the whole match and it made it very difficult in the third set, so I’m happy to be through in straights.”

The sole unseeded player through to the quarter finals in the top half of the draw is big-serving South African Harris, who took out 22nd seed Opelka in their game. In a surprise to no-one, there were plenty of aces on show, with Harris putting down a whopping 36 to Opelka’s (still impressive) 24, whilst the pair only produced six double faults combined. Harris was more consistent off his serve, with a 76 to 65 per cent clip, and only dropped six points in total throughout the four-set contest on his first serve, to win, 6-7 6-4 6-1 6-3. The South African also broke his height ranked opponent six times and was only broken once, but perhaps more impressively set up 17 break point opportunities and only hit 16 unforced errors to 62 winners.

“I thought I played a really good first set, returning well,” Harris said post-match. “Throughout the match I served really well and after that first set not going my way, I stayed confident and what an unbelievable feeling this is. The support has been amazing.”

US OPEN ROUND OF 16 RESULTS:

[1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) defeated Jenson Brooksby (USA) 1-6 6-3 6-2 6-2
[4] Alexander Zverev (GER) defeated [13] Jannik Sinner (ITA) 6-4 6-4 7-6
[6] Matteo Berrettini (ITA) defeated [Q] Oscar Otte (GER) 6-4 3-6 6-3 6-2
Lloyd Harris (RSA) defeated [22] Reilly Opelka (USA) 6-7 6-4 6-1 6-3

Picture credit: via ATP Tour