Japan's Naomi Osaka leaves the court after winning her match with Estpnia's Anett Kontaveit during the quarterfinals at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament in New York on Wednesday — AP NEW YORK, Aug 27 (AFP): World number one Novak Djokovic cruised into the semi-finals of the ATP and WTA Western & Southern Open on Wednesday while Japan's Naomi Osaka withdrew to protest the shooting of a black man by police in Wisconsin.
Djokovic, who launches his bid for a fourth US Open title and 18th Grand Slam crown on Monday, needed only 62 minutes to rout Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 6-1. The 33-year-old Serbian, who seeks a fourth US Open title and 18th Grand Slam crown, advanced to a Thursday semi-final against Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut, who upset defending champion Daniil Medvedev, last year's US Open runner-up from Russia, by 1-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Djokovic had no issues with a prior neck injury, testing himself well on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts in the same spectator-less Covid-19 bubble quarantine atmosphere where the US Open will be played.
"It was great. I feel very good," said Djokovic who is 21-0 this year.
"Started a little bit tight the opening couple of games of my service games. Managed to defend well.
"Ever since that first break early in the first set, I never looked back. I really played very aggressive when I have a chance. I was playing my shots. I was very pleased with my serve."
Fourth seed Osaka, a two-time Grand Slam champion, rallied to defeat Estonia's Anett Kontaveit 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 in a quarter-final.
But she withdrew from her Thursday semi against Belgian 14th seed Elise Mertens, who eliminated American Jessica Pegula 6-1, 6-3.
The move came in the wake of African-American Jacob Blake being shot in the back on Sunday in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
"Watching the continued genocide of Black people at the hand of the police is honestly making me sick to my stomach," Osaka posted in a Twitter statement.
"Before I am an athlete, I am a black woman. And as a black woman I feel as though there are much more important matters at hand that need immediate attention, rather than watching me play tennis.
Mertens reached a Friday final against the winner between two-time Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, who beat Tunisia's Ons Jabeur 7-6 (11/9), 6-2, and Britain's Johanna Konta, who beat Greece's 13th-seeded Maria Sakkari 6-4, 6-3.
The other men's semi-final will send Greek fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, who advanced down 5-6 when American Reilly Opelka retired, against Canada's Milos Raonic, who defeated Serbian Filip Krajinovic 4-6, 7-6 (7/2), 7-5.
Djokovic won this event, typically played in Cincinnati, in 2018 after five prior finals losses and looks like he could claim a second title in three tries while warming up for the US Open and testing the improvements made to his games since the Covid-19 shutdown.
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