A new team will be crowned US Open champion on Saturday when fourth seeds Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares square off against unseeded Pablo Carreno Busta and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.

For the British-Brazilian pairing, it will be an attempt at a second Grand Slam doubles title of the season after winning the Australian Open. Murray/Soares saw off defending champions Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the semi-finals and should they triumph in the final, they would become the first team to win multiple Grand Slam titles in a season since Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan won three in 2013.

The Brit/Brazilian duo, who started playing together this season, won the first Grand Slam tournament they played, the 2016 Australian Open. But they lost in the third round  at Roland Garros and fell in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon.

Both have contested finals in New York before, however. Murray finished runner-up at Flushing Meadows last year (w/Peers) while Soares fell in the 2013 final (w/Peya). The Brazilian had previously tasted US Open success with mixed doubles titles in 2012 and 2014.

Their opponents, Spaniards Carreno Busta and Garcia-Lopez, have never progressed past the third round in a Grand Slam tournament. Coming into the US Open, they were 0-2 as a team this season (10-10 lifetime), although both had carried form over from the US hard-court swing. 

Carreno Busta won his first ATP World Tour singles title and Garcia-Lopez won the doubles trophy at Winston-Salem. It would cap a strong turnaround for Garcia-Lopez, who started the season 0-11 in doubles before reaching the semi-finals in Atlanta last month.

Carreno Busta/Garcia Lopez become the first unseeded duo to reach the US Open final since 2000 when Lleyton Hewitt and Max Mirnyi captured the title (d. E. Ferreira/R. Leach).

Novak Djokovic is getting real.

The World No. 1 will star in a new documentary series about himself, set to air exclusively on Amazon Prime, it was announced Friday. The reality series, which will follow the Serbian on and off court, will be available in the United States, United Kingdom, Austria and Japan in 2017.

“My fans have been suffering and celebrating with me from the very beginning of my career on the tennis courts,” Djokovic said in a statement. “Now I want to share with them all my daily life and what’s important to me – my values, my beliefs, and my habits – and also introduce to them all the amazing people that are always next to me.”

“Novak” (working title), to be co-executive produced by former tennis player Boris Kodjoe, will reveal a behind-the-scenes look at Djokovic’s life. Based on a concept by Alberto Scarpetta and Djokovic, the series will explore his mental and fitness routines and meticulous dietary habits. It will also cover his personal life, including trips to his hometown of Belgrade, Serbia, and his work with the Novak Djokovic Foundation for early-childhood education and with charities such as UNICEF.

A sweltering New York summer’s day and an opponent now undefeated in 13 FedEx ATP Head2Head encounters combined to put an end to Gael Monfils’ hopes of reaching a maiden Grand Slam final on Friday. The flashy Frenchman fell 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 to top seed Novak Djokovic on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“At the beginning I think Novak was playing good,” the 10^th seed said. “I didn’t serve great. It was very quickly 5-0. I had to change a little bit … Why stay and lose 6-0 and not change anything? Definitely, I try to get in his head … try to create something new for him to see.

“When the guy is too good, playing clean and you’re playing … not that good you need to change … I almost get back in the first set.”

Monfils, who had reached the semi-finals without conceding a set, managed to lift to take the third set as both players struggled under the oppressive humidity. It was momentary reprieve as Djokovic would prove the steadier of the two in the end.

“I think it was hot and humid, but somehow I think also at one moment of the game it was very physical; was good rallies,” Monfils said of the topsy-turvy affair. “Whenever it’s like that it’s never easy to recover quick, like 25 seconds.”

It was only Monfils’ second run to a Grand Slam semi-final after he fell at the same stage at Roland Garros in 2008 (l. Federer). On top of claiming his biggest ATP World Tour title to date at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C, leading in, he ensured he would crack the Top 10 in the Emirates ATP Rankings for the first time since 2011, rising to No. 8. His best result at Flushing Meadows puts him well on track to qualify for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals where he currently sits at No. 6.

Stan Wawrinka prides himself on his durability and fitness and the two factors guided the third-seeded Swiss to victory on Friday in the US Open semi-finals. Wawrinka rallied from an early deficit to defeat Kei Nishikori 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-2, setting a championship clash against top seed and two-time champion Novak Djokovic.

With oppressive heat and humidity wreaking havoc all day, Wawrinka outlasted Nishikori in a four-set battle.

“I knew I could always come back,” said Wawrinka on ESPN’s set following the match. “My game plan is to be aggressive. I knew I could fight for three, four, five hours. I want to make them suffer and that’s what I did against Del Potro and today as well.”

On an overcast Friday evening, conditions looked to be challenging for both players, but Nishikori initially showed no ill-effects, bursting out of the gates to seize the early initiative. Launching his groundstrokes deep to Wawrinka’s backhand and opening the court to attack, the Japanese earned a quick break for 3-2 and eventually took a one-set lead.

Nishikori won an impressive 16 of 17 first-serve points to open the match, but it was two second serves that would cost him the break early in the second. Wawrinka countered Nishikori’s aggressive play with an attacking statement of his own, rifling a backhand winner that clipped the baseline to level the set at 3-all. The steady Swiss began plotting his comeback deep in the second set, employing his brand of power tennis to deny six break points, including from 0/40 in the seventh game. It proved to be the turning point in the match. Injecting significant pace into his shots off the ground, he would eventually convert his second set point to draw level at one apiece. 

“It was really wet,” Wawrinka added in his press conference. “It was tough conditions. I just knew that it was important not to show it, to stay there, because I also know that in a five-set match there is some up and down. It’s important to not spend energy by being negative and show the opponent that you’re struggling. I think today it make a big difference for myself.” 

The lead oscillated between the two competitors in the critical third set. First, Wawrinka broke. Then, it was Nishikori’s turn. Both competitors enjoyed runs of three straight games won, but the third-seeded Swiss would have the last laugh. With the roof closed during a period of rain, the Japanese’s energy level began to wane and Wawrinka would pounce on his opportunities. Nishikori’s service speed dipped and his unforced error count grew, while Wawrinka continued to blast away from the baseline, breaking in the 10th game for a two-sets-to-one lead.

Wawrinka would pull away in the fourth set, capturing the first 10 points. Despite conceding the break back three games later, he proved to be too strong in the end. Nishikori’s unforced error count rose to 46 and Wawrinka’s winner total soared to 37, as the Swiss broke twice more to seal the victory on his second match point after three hours and seven minutes. A mammoth inside-out forehand winner at 30/15 in the final game punctuated his efforts. 

The Swiss improved to 14-5 at the US Open when dropping the first set, reaching his first final in 12 appearances in New York. It will be his third Grand Slam title match in total and second in as many years against Djokovic. Wawrinka earned a four-set victory in the Roland Garros final last year. 

“I was definitely tired, especially in the end,” said Nishikori. “The last two set were really tough. I think also he was stepping up a little more from the second set on. He was missing a lot the first set and also I was playing good tennis, but I think he made some changes and he was starting to play better.

“He started using his backhand a little bit more down the line and with angles. I think that was really working for him. For me, I think I was hitting too short and wasn’t making enough first serves. There is a reason he’s been Top 5 for a long time now. He played some good tennis today.” 

Meeting for the sixth time in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series, Wawrinka now leads 4-2. Nishikori took their lone previous encounter of 2016 at the Rogers Cup in Toronto and the 26 year old also grabbed their only previous meeting at the US Open, prevailing in a riveting five-set affair in the 2014 quarter-finals. He was bidding to reach his second final in New York, having finished runner-up to Marin Cilic two years ago.

Novak Djokovic will play for his third US Open title after surviving a tight and sometimes bizarre semi-final match against Gael Monfils on Friday afternoon. The two-time US Open champion (2011, 2015) prevailed 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 on Arthur Ashe Stadium to reach his seventh US Open final.

Djokovic also extended his dominance over Monfils. The Serbian now leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 13-0. “It was a strange match, as it always is, I guess, when you play Gael, who is a very unpredictable player,” Djokovic said. “So it was a good win for me today.”

With the win, Djokovic has now reached seven of the past eight Grand Slam tournament finals, his only absence Wimbledon earlier this year when he fell in the third round to American Sam Querrey. The top seed will try to win the 13^th Grand Slam title of his career and the eighth title of his 2016 on Sunday.

It wasn’t easy getting through the tricky Monfils on Friday. Djokovic could not have envisioned a better start to the match. After 13 minutes, he led 4-0, mostly from putting the ball in play and letting a nervy Monfils make mistakes. The Frenchman would finish the first set with 16 unforced errors, including five double faults.

But with Djokovic serving at 5-1, Monfils changed his tactics and started slicing nearly everything back, electing to hit through the ball only when Djokovic approached the net. The change rattled Djokovic, who double faulted to get broken.

“I was completely caught off guard when he just stood there and chipped the ball back and didn’t do much. If I would get to the net he would go for the passing shot and hit some impossible gets and balls,” Djokovic said.

Soon Monfils was back in the set at 5-3. “Why… stay and lose 6-0 and not change anything?” Monfils said. “Definitely, I try to get in his head. Try to create something new for him to see… When the guy is too good, playing clean and you’re playing very bad… you need to change. At the end, that’s why I think it was necessary, and I almost got back in the first set.”

But Djokovic restored order and had claimed the opener in 36 minutes. It was the first set Monfils had lost all tournament long in Flushing Meadows. He had been just the 10^th player in the past 25 years to reach the US Open semi-finals without dropping a set.

In the second set, Djokovic upped his level. He won almost 90 per cent of his service points (16/18) and was perfect at the net (6/6). It looked as if he would cruise into the final in straight sets. “Everything was working,” Djokovic said.

But Monfils came alive in the third set, producing some of the tennis that had helped him win 15 consecutive sets in New York. The 30 year old also rallied the crowd behind him. After nailing a backhand winner at 2-2, “La Monf” let out a yell that had fans jumping to their feet.

Serving for the set at 5-3, he produced more excitement. Monfils fell behind 0/40 but crawled his way into the game and had a set point. Djokovic, upset at his missed opportunities, ripped his shirt before Monfils served on set point and crushed a backhand winner up the line to more cheers from the crowd.

“The momentum shifted. He felt his chance was there. He got it. Crowd got into it,” Djokovic said.

All of a sudden it seemed like the match could go the distance. Monfils, who had hit 27 unforced errors in the first two sets, had played more controlled tennis in the third, hitting only four unforced errors.

But the defending champion Djokovic quickly grabbed control of the fourth set, breaking to get to 4-2 and breaking once more – his eighth break of the match – to move into the final. “I just managed to hold my nerves and be patient and close out the match in good fashion,” Djokovic said.

In Sunday’s final, he will face either Swiss Stan Wawrinka or Japanese Kei Nishikori. Djokovic leads his FedEx ATP Head2Head series with both players: Wawrinka, 19-4; and Nishikori, 10-2.

Mate Pavic entered the 2016 US Open without a mixed doubles partner. One week later, the 23-year-old Croatian is leaving with the trophy.

Pavic captured his first Grand Slam title on Friday, teaming with Laura Siegemund for the US Open mixed doubles crown. The Croatian-German duo completed a ruthless run in Flushing Meadows, not dropping a set en route to lifting the trophy.

The Split native signed up for the competition as “Pavic and looking”, having not secured Siegemund as a partner until just prior to the draw being made. In the final, the tandem upset seventh seeds Rajeev Ram and Coco Vandeweghe 6-4, 6-4 on Arthur Ashe Stadium, striking 30 winners and just 12 unforced errors. They converted three of six break chances, while denying four of five faced. They took the decisive lead at 4-3 in the second set and eventually converted their second match point after one hour and 13 minutes.

“It still has to settle in a little bit,” said Pavic. “I’m still not feeling it at the moment. But like she said, it was a great week for us. Maybe the story of how we ended up playing together helped a little bit, because we had no expectations at all. We were just not sure if we were going to play or not. We played all the matches very solid, very good. It was a fun week.”

A five-time doubles champion on the ATP World Tour with Michael Venus, Pavic is two spots off his career-high No. 34 in the Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings. He is enjoying his best season at age 23, following titles on the hard courts of Auckland, Montpellier and Marseille, in addition to a grass-court crown in ‘s-Hertogenbosch.

“I had a good year so far,” Pavic added. “I won four [ATP World Tour titles]. So we’ll see. I hope to continue like that and get my ranking up. My goal is to be Top 30 by the end of the year and get into the majors and Masters 1000s and all these events. We will see how it goes.”
 

In the fifth of a special series of interviews with Roger Federer at home in Switzerland, the 35 year old talks about how and why he came to the decision to curtail his 2016 season after Wimbledon.

It is a decision that Federer labels one of the biggest of his career, but with the support of his family and team, hopes it will enable him to play for several more years on the ATP World Tour.