U.S. Open: Djokovic sautes, fillets, grills (pardon the puns) Fish

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Mardy Fish put all of his efforts into preparing for the U.S. Open. He lost weight, gave up pizza and beer and even late-night snacking. He won a summer tournament in Atlanta and went the distance with Roger Federer in the finals of Cincinnati.

But on Monday afternoon, with an American crowd on Arthur Ashe Stadium court primed to push Fish past third-seeded Novak Djokovic, Fish offered them nothing. He had no punch on his shots, no glide in his movement, no clear game plan and never a chance.

The 23-year-old Djokovic, who has been a finalist here, knocked Fish out in the fourth round of the U.S. Open with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 win that took only 1 hour and 50 minutes. Next up for Djokovic is France’s 17th-seed Gael Monfils, who also won easily over countryman Richard Gasquet, 6-4, 7-5, 7-5.

-- Diane Pucin, reporting from New York

Photo: Novak Djovokic returns a backhand to Mardy Fish durng their fourth-round match at the U.S. Open on Monday.