![\"\"](\"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2.44989508.jpg\")
Novak Djokovic\u2019s US Open title defense came to an end after he retired injured while two sets down to Stan Wawrinka.<\/p>\nNovak Djokovic\u2019s US Open title defense came to an end after he retired injured while two sets down to Stan Wawrinka.<\/p>\n
The crowd on Arthur Ashe were stunned when the world number one approached Wawrinka and embraced him while trailing 6-4 7-5 2-1.<\/p>\n
Djokovic has been bothered by a left shoulder injury all week, although it was not apparent during the opening two sets with Wawrinka reprising the sort of form which made him the champion in 2016.<\/p>\n
But the Serbian took a medical time-out after dropping the second set, and three games into the third he decided enough was enough.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was the left shoulder,\u201d Djokovic confirmed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI congratulate Stan. He\u2019s a great player. I really wish him all the best the rest of the tournament.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want to talk about my injuries. I said that in the past. I\u2019m sticking to that.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry for the crowd. Obviously they came to see a full match, and just wasn\u2019t to be. That\u2019s all it is.\u201d<\/p>\n
The result means Wawrinka will face fifth seed Daniil Medvedev in the quarter-finals, while the draw has opened up for Roger Federer, who was in imperious form against David Goffin and had been expected to run into Djokovic in the last four.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Medvedev reveled in his role as the villain of the tournament after beating Dominik Koepfer to reach the quarter-finals.<\/p>\n
The Russian, who caused a stir by sticking his midle finger up at the crowd in a \u2018visible obscenity\u2019 two nights earlier, was jeered as he strode onto court in Louis Armstrong Stadium.<\/p>\n
The majority of the spectators were firmly behind German qualifier Koepfer when he went a set and a break up.<\/p>\n
But Medvedev eventually won 3-6 6-3 6-2 7-6 (2), before goading the crowd again with his celebration and then saying in his court side interview: \u201cGuys, continue to give me this energy. You are the best.\u201d<\/p>\n
ESPN commentator Pam Shriver, referring to the mutual respect shown between Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff 24 hours earlier, said: \u201cThe women are being so well behaved, and the boys are just misbehaving. Boys will be boys.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the afternoon session Federer laid down a marker by dismantling Goffin.<\/p>\n
The third seed dropped just four games, winning the last nine on the trot, for a brutal 6-2 6-2 6-0 victory in just an hour and 21 minutes.<\/p>\n
If Britain\u2019s Dan Evans was feeling bad about the manner of his third-round defeat to Federer, he can surely take some comfort from the fact he won one more game than Goffin, the 15th seed.<\/p>\n
Federer had looked susceptible in his opening two matches, dropping a set in both, but is since cruising through the gears.<\/p>\n
Goffin, who broke Federer\u2019s serve early in the first set, won just seven points in the third, the Swiss finishing him off with a stunning backhand pass down the line.<\/p>\n
Federer, looking for a 21st grand slam title, said: \u201cLook, sometimes these scores just happen. You catch a good day, the opponent doesn\u2019t, then things happen very quickly.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe he struggled a bit early on. But I found my groove after a while and was able to roll really, and never looked back.<\/p>\n
\u201cDavid wasn\u2019t nearly as good as I expected him to be. He was struggling a little bit. I was able to take advantage of it, and I think that\u2019s the key.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn a fourth round like this, if you can keep it nice, short, simple, you have to take them. I\u2019m very happy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Federer will face Grigor Dimitrov, the former world number three, in the last eight.<\/p>\n
Bulgarian Dimitrov beat Alex De Minaur of Australia in straight sets, 7-5 6-3 6-4.<\/p>\n