WHAT HAPPENED: No one beats Vitas Gerulaitis 17 times in a row, but Novak Djokovic did beat Kei Nishikori 17 consecutive times.
The Serbian recovered from a slow start and overcame spotty patches to maintain his dominance against the 2014 US Open finalist, advancing 6-7, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 on Saturday inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“So far the toughest match of the tournament for me,” Djokovic said. “Had to work for this victory, and I'm glad. It feels satisfying to go out from the court with a win against a player who is playing in really great form today.”
The world No. 1 is through to his 14th fourth round in Flushing Meadows and keeps alive his hopes to become only the second man after Aussie Rod Laver in 1969 to win the calendar-year Grand Slam in the Open Era.
Djokovic will next face the winner of No. 21 Aslan Karatsev of Russia and American wild card Jenson Brooksby. Djokovic and Karatsev split their two meetings earlier this year; Djokovic and the 20-year-old Brooksby have never played.
Despite his dominant record, the Serbian played down his chances of an easy dismissal against Nishikori heading into the match, and Nishikori proved him right.
The former world No. 4 came out full of belief and with an aggressive gameplan. Nishikori was hugging the baseline and forcing an unsure Djokovic to his back heels.
“I thought I was playing much better than the last couple matches we played,” Nishikori said.
In the first-set tiebreak, Djokovic guessed wrong on a volley, and Nishikori gained the mini-break with a backhand lob before serving out the set when Djokovic slapped a return long. The Serbian finished the opener with 20 unforced errors to 12 winners.
“I was quite passive. I was too far back in the court. He was dictating the play,” Djokovic said.
But he tidied up his tennis and turned the match around in the second set. Djokovic broke Nishikori in the third game with a backhand flick that elicited a roar from the Serbian. He also saved all seven break points faced in the second set.
Nishikori found a glimmer of hope in the third when Djokovic stumbled while serving for a 5-2 lead. Djokovic donated two double faults and sprayed a forehand wide to give Nishikori the break. But the next game, Djokovic broke back.
“I was very pleased with the focus," Djokovic said. "Maybe at some points, I wasn’t at my best, but overall I was determined, I was concentrated."
WHAT IT MEANS: Did Djokovic feel some pressure or did Nishikori catch him flat-footed to start their 20th meeting? Either way, the Serbian will look to get off to a stronger start in the fourth round and clean up a couple trouble spots—see seven double faults and seven more unforced errors than winners (45 to 52).
But that’s being nitpicky. Bottom line: Djokovic improved to 14-2 in US Open third-round matches and is four wins away from making more tennis history.
He is the first man since Laver in 1969 to win the first three major championships of the season. With his fourth US Open title and 21st Grand Slam title overall, he’ll match Laver’s calendar-year Grand Slam and also break the three-way tie between himself, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal at the top of the all-time Grand Slam titles leaderboard.
MATCH POINT: Jimmy Connors couldn’t beat Gerulaitis for the 17th time in a row at the 1979 year-end championships, which were held at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
But Djokovic has beaten two players 17 consecutive times: Nishikori and France’s Gael Monfils (17-0 overall).
