Serbian ace Novak Djokovic lashes out at conditions on Arthur Ashe Stadium during 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 quarter-final victory over Australian John Millman; says it was almost like being in a sauna
Serbia's Novak Djokovic removes his shirt during a break in his US Open quarter-final against John Millman at the Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday
Novak Djokovic called on US Open organisers to find a solution to the humidity problems on Arthur Ashe Stadium after sweating his way through to the semi-finals. The Wimbledon champion, who next faces Kei Nishikori in a repeat of the 2014 semi-final which he lost, has struggled in the unusually extreme conditions in New York this year and was again in discomfort during a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Australian John Millman that lasted nearly three hours on Wednesday.
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Djokovic, for whom this was an 11th consecutive quarter-final victory, said: "I personally have never sweated as much as I have here. I have to take at least 10 shirts for every match. It's literally after two games you're soaking.
Aussie Millman celebrates a point. Pics/Getty Images
"I asked the chair umpire whether they are using some form of ventilation or air conditioning down at the court-level side, and then he says that he's not aware of it, only what comes through the hallways.
"I think that this tournament needs to address this. Because whether it's night or day, we just don't have air down there. It feels like a sauna. This has been definitely the toughest US Open in the last 10 years that I have played."
Djokovic refused to reveal what the tablets were that he was demanding from his team during the match. That came during an unusual stoppage after four games of the second set when Millman was instructed to go off court to change his whole kit because he was sweating so much it was making the surface
dangerous.
Millman said: "I didn't really want to come off. I felt like I had a good bit of momentum there. But that's tennis. That's fine. These night matches, the humidity goes through the roof. You're dripping. But that's no excuse or anything. I'd play in a swimming pool if I got to play a quarter-final every week at a grand slam."
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