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Novak Djokovic, a two-time champion, ended Wednesday in John Millman's US Open race, beating the Australian ranked 55th in two sets to play a semifinal with Kei Nishikori.
The Serbian star, who ended 54 weeks of drought by winning his 13th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, defeated the Aussie 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 to reach his 11th semifinal of the season. # 39; US Open in his last 11 appearances. .
He won the trophy in 2011 and 2015.
Nishikori, 21st, won with a 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 6-4 win over Marin Cilic, the man who beat him in the final in 2014 .
Millman, who knocked out fourth seed Roger Federer in the fourth round, allowed Djokovic to continue running for two hours and 49 minutes on another hot, wet night at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
"You survived on the court, then you won with a win," said Djokovic, who converted just four of his 20 break points and made 53 mistakes before he could do what Federer could not do.
"Very tested," said Djokovic, who admitted that, like many, he was surprised to find himself facing Millman, not Federer, across the net.
"But Millman is the kind of player who makes you miss the balls, you win the point, win the point.
"He does not miss himself, so he just runs left, right, he has a lot of bullets, tactically you have to find the right balance between being patient but constructive in the point, but at the same time be aggressive and take the risk when you have a shorter balloon.It's easier said than done. "
It was clear that the evening could be long when the players struggled for more than 15 minutes in the sixth match of the first set, with Millman saving four break points.
The Australian saved four other players in the first game of the second set and as the duel continued, both players clearly felt the effects of long and entertaining rallies.
Millman, his clothes soaked, made the unorthodox request to go change after the fourth match of the second set – Djokovic accepting.
"He apologized that he was very sorry that he had to leave the court and change himself." I said, "Man, go ahead. "
"I needed this rest," said Djokovic, who finally won the break in the penultimate meeting of the final set, before going out in love.
"I got a chance," said Millman, 29, who has battled a series of injuries over the course of his career.
"I have definitely left everything there today and I am a little short, Novak is a champion, he has played a lot of Grand Slam tournaments and he knows how to win them."
Japan's Nishikori, who missed the US Open last year after an end-of-season wrist injury, has joined his compatriot Naomi Osaka to reach the semi-finals.
– Nishikori makes the distance –
Nishikori knocked out world No. 1 Djokovic of the time in the semifinals in 2014 to become the first man of an Asian country to reach the championship game of a major.
But he has not returned to the Grand Slam final since, dropping to the semi-finals of the US Open in 2016.
Against Cilic, he worked 4 hours and 8 minutes.
"I do not know why, but it's still a battle with Marin," said Nishikori, who stretched his career record with the seventh-placed Croatian at 9-6.
Nishikori appeared to be in control of the fifth set with a break for a 3-1 lead.
He had two points of play for a 5-2 lead but a double foul and a backhand opened the door to Cilic, who broke through, shouting "Got it!" when he got the break to reduce the gap to 4-3.
But Nishikori broke Cilic in the final match, capturing the match with a stunning service return.
"I'm trying to beat myself at all points," said Nishikori, who has an impressive record in deciding sets.
"Especially in the end, I really focus on every point," he said, adding, "I do not want to go to five sets each time."
Survive and thrive: Novak Djokovic celebrates the victory over John Millman in the quarterfinals of the US Open.
Finally, Kei Nishikori celebrates his five-round victory over Marin Cilic in the quarterfinals of the US Open.
