Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal will meet in the US Open final for the second year in a row, after winning their semi-finals on a day of unrelenting drama and precision tennis at Flushing Meadows on Saturday.
Djokovic showed why he is the hottest player in the game right now — he saved two match points to roar back from the brink of defeat and beat Roger Federer in a five-set thriller that whipped the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd into a frenzy of excitement. The final score was 6-7 (7/9), 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 for Djokovic.
Then Nadal, his form and confidence soaring with each match he plays, powered past Britain’s Andy Murray 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 and set up a mouthwatering rematch between the top two players in the world.
Photo: AFP
Nadal beat Djokovic 12 months ago to complete his collection of Grand Slam titles but the Serbian has had his measure this year.
“I’ve lost my last five matches against him, five finals,” Nadal said. “He’s obviously the favorite for the final, and I know I have to do something better than those other matches to try and change the situation.”
For Djokovic, who has already won two Grand Slam titles this year, at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, there was just relief that he made the final after he survived a pulsating contest with Federer that could have gone either way.
Photo: EPA
Federer won the first two sets then regained his composure to lead 5-3 in the fifth.
The Swiss maestro, a five-time champion at Flushing Meadows, served for the match and had two match points, but Djokovic saved them both and won the last four games to complete an incredible comeback.
“It’s a sport where one wins, one loses,” Djokovic said. “We have a saying, ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.’”
For Federer, it was a heart-breaking loss. He may have won more Grand Slam titles than any other man that has played the game, but his last was at last year’s Australian Open. Now on the wrong side of 30, he doesn’t move as fast as he once could and hit a string of ugly shanks.
“Sure, it’s disappointing, but I have only myself to blame,” Federer said. “I set it all up perfect, but I couldn’t finish it. It hurts, but it’s fine. It could be worse. It could be a final.”
Murray, 24, never really threatened Nadal, although he had the consolation of taking a set off him, a feat that none of his other opponents have managed at the US Open this year.
He played aggressively, cracking 44 winners, 13 more than Nadal, but his 55 unforced errors was more than twice his opponent’s total.
WOMEN’S SINGLES
REUTERS, NEW YORK
Serena Williams demolished world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki 6-2 6-4 in Saturday’s semi-finals to move within a victory of a storybook finish at Flushing Meadows.
Williams, who played only five tournaments this year before the season’s last Grand Slam because of injuries and a life-threatening blood clot on her lungs, would play Australian Sam Stosur in yesterday’s final, after a ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.
The 29-year-old Williams, seeded 28th after sliding down the rankings while on the sidelines, thoroughly dominated the top-seeded Dane.
The three-time US Open champion and winner of 13 Grand Slam crowns belted 15 winners to Wozniacki’s zero in the opening set, and finished the match with 34 outright winners to a meagre five for her 21-year-old opponent.
Serving for the match at 5-3, Williams wobbled with two careless groundstroke errors and two double-faults to allow Wozniacki to bring the set back on serve.
The American made amends in the next game, however, sealing the match when the Dane put a backhand into the net, sparking a jumping and twirling celebration.
“It’s so great. I’m so happy, especially with 9-11,” Williams told the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd. “It really meant a lot for me to come out here as an American and to still be in the tournament. I really want to play tomorrow on such a special day for the United States, so I’m really excited.”
Williams said battling back from her injuries and illness made this championship advance even more meaningful to her.
“It’s been such an arduous long road. I can’t believe it. I really can’t,” she said.
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