By the end of his news conference an hour later, he had apologised twice, noted extreme pressure of recent days: “This is exactly the situation I don’t want to be in. You know, fighting with people, fighting with the press. This is absolutely not me.”

The theme of Djokovic-with-ailments long has simmered on the tour with a fresh boil here in Flushing Meadow. In a fourth-round, five-set win over Tommy Robredo of Spain, Djokovic called for the trainer and mentioned an upset stomach to complement ankle and hip injuries.

Robredo intended no humour when he said he found Djokovic’s injuries untrustworthy, but Roddick employed his repertoire of sarcasm and irony when he listed Djokovic’s maladies as “a back and a hip,” “a cramp,” “bird flu,” “anthrax,” “SARS” and “a common cough and cold.”

Djokovic’s displeasure with this comedy looked evident in the frostiness in his half of the handshake after Roddick’s last forehand return had screamed long to close the match.

Excruciating double faults

Roddick had just served for the fourth set at 5-4 and banged in opening serves of 142 and 143 mph for a 30-love lead as the audience readied for a fifth. Then he’d committed two excruciating double faults and watched a gorgeous Djokovic backhand topspin lob sail over his head and plunk down good on break point.

Come the tiebreaker, which Djokovic played masterfully, Roddick wrecked a 15-shot rally at 5-5 with one of the flimsiest netted backhand drop shots the crowd had ever seen judging by its groans and wails.

... contd.