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Djokovic to play Nadal, Serena sets Stosur final
Source: Agencies |
September 12, 2011, Monday
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FACING two match points against a beloved player whose name is already in the history books, Novak Djokovic clenched his jaw, nodded his head and flashed an ever-so-slight glimpse of a smile.
"I would lie if I say I didn't think I'm going to lose," Djokovic said.
Might as well go down swinging then, right?
He turned violently on a wide, 148 kilometers per hour serve from Roger Federer for a cross-court, forehand winner that barely nicked the line. The fans in Arthur Ashe Stadium, ready to explode for a Federer victory, instead found themselves taking a cue from Djokovic - who raised his hands, asking them to pump up the volume, and give him a little more love.
About 10 minutes later, those fans were dancing with Djoko as he boogied at center court to celebrate an epic US Open semifinal win - one in which he dug out of a two-set hole, then saved two match points to beat Federer for the second straight year at Flushing Meadows, New York.
Top-seeded Djokovic won 6-7 (7), 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 on Saturday to improve to 63-2 on the year and set up a rematch in the final against No. 2 Rafael Nadal, who beat No. 4 Andy Murray 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 in the second semifinal.
In the first match, Djokovic completed only his second career comeback from two sets down, while 15-time grand slam winner Federer lost a two-set lead for the second time in less than three months after going 178-0 lifetime before this year's Wimbledon quarterfinals.
Nadal beat Djokovic in the final last year, but Djokovic is 5-0 against the Spaniard this year. All the meetings have been in tournament finals, including Wimbledon. Tomorrow, Nadal must try to stop the losing streak against a player who will come into the final on the high of a win he called definitely the biggest of the year and "one of the biggest wins of the career under the circumstances."
"He's obviously the favorite for the final, and I know I have to do something better than the other matches to try to change the situation," Nadal said.
Djokovic spent much of the first two sets shaking his head, commiserating with the folks in his players box, even folding his hands in mock prayer. Then, he turned things around suddenly and unexpectedly.
He got an early break in the third to capture the momentum, and as the match wore on, the prospect of Federer grabbing it back, let alone getting a match point, seemed bleak.
Fittingly, given how things have gone lately, the start of the Federer-Djokovic semifinal was delayed for about an hour because showers began falling shortly before the players were supposed to walk on court, which had "9/11/01" painted in white to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
That made it an even longer wait for the headliners of the night session, Serena Williams and Caroline Wozniacki. American Williams dominated the top-seeded Dane 6-2, 6-4. In the other women's semifinal, No. 9 Sam Stosur of Australia beat Germany's Angelique Kerber 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 on the Grandstand Court.
Earlier, Austria's Jurgen Melzer and Philipp Petzschner of Germany captured the men's doubles title.
The pair, seeded ninth, beat the sixth seeds, Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski of Poland, 6-2, 6-2 in just 48 minutes.
"I would lie if I say I didn't think I'm going to lose," Djokovic said.
Might as well go down swinging then, right?
He turned violently on a wide, 148 kilometers per hour serve from Roger Federer for a cross-court, forehand winner that barely nicked the line. The fans in Arthur Ashe Stadium, ready to explode for a Federer victory, instead found themselves taking a cue from Djokovic - who raised his hands, asking them to pump up the volume, and give him a little more love.
About 10 minutes later, those fans were dancing with Djoko as he boogied at center court to celebrate an epic US Open semifinal win - one in which he dug out of a two-set hole, then saved two match points to beat Federer for the second straight year at Flushing Meadows, New York.
Top-seeded Djokovic won 6-7 (7), 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 on Saturday to improve to 63-2 on the year and set up a rematch in the final against No. 2 Rafael Nadal, who beat No. 4 Andy Murray 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 in the second semifinal.
In the first match, Djokovic completed only his second career comeback from two sets down, while 15-time grand slam winner Federer lost a two-set lead for the second time in less than three months after going 178-0 lifetime before this year's Wimbledon quarterfinals.
Nadal beat Djokovic in the final last year, but Djokovic is 5-0 against the Spaniard this year. All the meetings have been in tournament finals, including Wimbledon. Tomorrow, Nadal must try to stop the losing streak against a player who will come into the final on the high of a win he called definitely the biggest of the year and "one of the biggest wins of the career under the circumstances."
"He's obviously the favorite for the final, and I know I have to do something better than the other matches to try to change the situation," Nadal said.
Djokovic spent much of the first two sets shaking his head, commiserating with the folks in his players box, even folding his hands in mock prayer. Then, he turned things around suddenly and unexpectedly.
He got an early break in the third to capture the momentum, and as the match wore on, the prospect of Federer grabbing it back, let alone getting a match point, seemed bleak.
Fittingly, given how things have gone lately, the start of the Federer-Djokovic semifinal was delayed for about an hour because showers began falling shortly before the players were supposed to walk on court, which had "9/11/01" painted in white to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
That made it an even longer wait for the headliners of the night session, Serena Williams and Caroline Wozniacki. American Williams dominated the top-seeded Dane 6-2, 6-4. In the other women's semifinal, No. 9 Sam Stosur of Australia beat Germany's Angelique Kerber 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 on the Grandstand Court.
Earlier, Austria's Jurgen Melzer and Philipp Petzschner of Germany captured the men's doubles title.
The pair, seeded ninth, beat the sixth seeds, Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski of Poland, 6-2, 6-2 in just 48 minutes.
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