Former Pepperdine player Kendrick a near surprise

NEW YORK -- For the first 12 games, they played as equals.

Novak Djokovic, Australian Open champion, third best male in tennis, stuck approach shots and pummeled backhands, winning every game he served.

Robert Kendrick, journeyman, 113th in the rankings, matched his opponent, stroke for stroke, game for game.

Now the score, suddenly, is six games all. It's tiebreaker time, crunch time, first to seven points, win by two.

Would this be the start of the first big, meaningful upset in the men's draw at the U.S. Open? Would the Fresno-based Kendrick win the tiebreaker and use the momentum to take the match, giving hope not just to himself but to all of the men's tour's wannabe big-time pros? Or, as most figured, would the big contender have his way?

All match long, fans at cavernous Arthur Ashe Stadium have seen surprising stuff from Kendrick, a former Pepperdine player few on hand had ever heard of.

Now it's the first point of the tiebreaker. Djokovic twists and serves -- Thwack!

He draws a miss.

The 21-year-old Djokovic has 10 singles titles, including this year's Australian Open, and has already pocketed $8.3 million. Great expectations hang on his shoulders.

Kendrick? In eight years as a pro he has one title to his name, in doubles. After expenses, he earns the salary of a high school science teacher. Sometimes he has played on the biggest stages. But as holds true for hundreds of unknowns in this sport, often you will find him in Tyler or Tulsa or any number of pinprick towns all over the globe.

Djokovic wins the second point on a flat backhand pass. 2-0.

Understand that Kendrick is a fine player, a hustler with an old-school attacking game. He knocks a good serve and then a punch winner and, in a flash, it's all tied at 2.

Most everyone here wants the American to do well, but they don't really want Djokovic to lose. The Serbian is slated to play Roger Federer in the semis. Many say if that happens, Djokovic will win.

He could certainly win if he plays Federer as he plays for the next five minutes. He nails a 120-mph serve, draws a double fault, slaps a winner. Kendrick throws in an ugly, unnecessary drop shot.

It's 6-2 now. Set point, Djokovic. From the warmup through the first dozen games you could see no real difference between the two players. They both possess the same practiced nonchalance, catapulting shots and quick feet. But at 6-2 in the breaker it all seems to make sense: This sudden run is the difference between great and good.