Novak Djokovic was cruising with a big early lead in his US Open fourth-round match on Sunday night when his neck started bothering him.
Djokovic was ahead of qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff 4-0 in the first set, when he hit a nicely angled volley winner to go up 30-love. The 24-time grand slam champion immediately grabbed at the back of his neck and started turning his head. Djokovic repeatedly stretched his neck and flexed his right shoulder between points, as he dropped two games in a row. But he soon regained the upper hand against Struff, who was trying to get to a major quarter-final for the first time.
The 38-year-old Djokovic went on to make history after completing a 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 victory to become the oldest man to reach the quarter-finals at all four grand slams in a single season.
The victory also moves Djokovic into his 64th grand slam quarter-final, extending his all-time record, and keeps alive his pursuit of a 25th major title.
The injury scare aside, Djokovic dominated, breaking the 35-year-old German’s serve six times during the 109-minute match. Struff, ranked number 144 in the world, had defeated two seeded players to reach his first US Open fourth round but was unable to put any serious pressure on the Serb.
Djokovic will place the No 4 seed, Taylor Fritz for a place in the semi-finals. Fritz, the last American man in the bracket, moved into the quarter-finals with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 victory against Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic.
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