Djokovic, Ferrer win epic US Open battles
Source: Agencies |
September 8, 2012, Saturday
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NOVAK Djokovic survived a brutal test from former champion Juan Martin del Potro to storm into the semifinals of the US Open on Thursday and stay on course to defend his title.
The Serbian was at his brilliant best, producing 43 breathtaking winners and scrambling around the Arthur Ashe Stadium center court like a golden retriever, fetching everything the towering del Potro threw at him.
Djokovic eventually won 6-2, 7-6, 6-4 to go into the last four as the only man yet to drop a set in the tournament but the scoreline did not reflect the intensity of a match where he was pushed to the limit.
"Even though it was a straight-sets win it was much closer than the score indicated," Djokovic said. "I'm just happy to get through."
Djokovic's next opponent is the Spanish baseliner David Ferrer, who won a four and a half hour slugfest with Djokovic's countryman Janko Tipsarevic.
With both players close to exhaustion after running each other to a standstill in the mid-afternoon sun, Ferrer clawed his way back from 1-4 down in the final set to win the deciding tiebreaker and triumph 6-3, 6-7, 2-6, 6-3, 7-6.
"It was an emotional match," said Ferrer, who has made four grand slam semis in his career but never a final.
"My opponent, he deserved also to win this match. In one tiebreak it's a lottery and I was lucky in important moments."
Battered and bruised by the battle, Tipsarevic tumbled heavily to the court in the fifth set and twice called on his trainer to have his foot and thigh taped.
"I think it was a high intense match with not too many ups and downs," he said. "Both of us are baseline players, both of us are big fighters on court, so something like this was only expected."
With the last grand slam of the season reaching its climax, the first trophies were handed out on Thursday when Russia's Ekaterina Makarova and Brazil's Bruno Soares won the mixed doubles final.
The pair, who literally teamed up at the last minute when Soares was told he would not qualify for the field with his original partner Jarmila Gajdosova, came from behind to defeat Czech Kveta Peschke and Marcin Matkowski of Poland 12-10 in a deciding tiebreaker after splitting the first two sets 6-7 6-1.
"At the very last minute, 11:59, I signed us in. I guess it worked out," said Soares.
Olympic champions Bob and Mike Bryan booked their place in the doubles final against Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek, while French Open champions Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci of Italy advanced to women's doubles final against Czech pair Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka.
The Serbian was at his brilliant best, producing 43 breathtaking winners and scrambling around the Arthur Ashe Stadium center court like a golden retriever, fetching everything the towering del Potro threw at him.
Djokovic eventually won 6-2, 7-6, 6-4 to go into the last four as the only man yet to drop a set in the tournament but the scoreline did not reflect the intensity of a match where he was pushed to the limit.
"Even though it was a straight-sets win it was much closer than the score indicated," Djokovic said. "I'm just happy to get through."
Djokovic's next opponent is the Spanish baseliner David Ferrer, who won a four and a half hour slugfest with Djokovic's countryman Janko Tipsarevic.
With both players close to exhaustion after running each other to a standstill in the mid-afternoon sun, Ferrer clawed his way back from 1-4 down in the final set to win the deciding tiebreaker and triumph 6-3, 6-7, 2-6, 6-3, 7-6.
"It was an emotional match," said Ferrer, who has made four grand slam semis in his career but never a final.
"My opponent, he deserved also to win this match. In one tiebreak it's a lottery and I was lucky in important moments."
Battered and bruised by the battle, Tipsarevic tumbled heavily to the court in the fifth set and twice called on his trainer to have his foot and thigh taped.
"I think it was a high intense match with not too many ups and downs," he said. "Both of us are baseline players, both of us are big fighters on court, so something like this was only expected."
With the last grand slam of the season reaching its climax, the first trophies were handed out on Thursday when Russia's Ekaterina Makarova and Brazil's Bruno Soares won the mixed doubles final.
The pair, who literally teamed up at the last minute when Soares was told he would not qualify for the field with his original partner Jarmila Gajdosova, came from behind to defeat Czech Kveta Peschke and Marcin Matkowski of Poland 12-10 in a deciding tiebreaker after splitting the first two sets 6-7 6-1.
"At the very last minute, 11:59, I signed us in. I guess it worked out," said Soares.
Olympic champions Bob and Mike Bryan booked their place in the doubles final against Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek, while French Open champions Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci of Italy advanced to women's doubles final against Czech pair Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka.
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