Australian Open- Semi-Final Highlights: Scrappy Roger Federer Just Can't Stop Rampaging Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic produced some amazing tennis to defeat Roger Federer in a tense four-set match. With this win, Djokovic has entered the final of the Australian Open for the sixth time. Relive this classic match here.
Novak Djokovic was in cruise control against Roger Federer after winning the first two sets 6-1 and 6-2. However, Federer produced some amazing tennis in the third set to win it 6-3. However, Djokovic was too strong and he got a crucial break in the fourth set to win 6-3 and the match to enter his sixth Australian Open final. Relive all the great moments here. (NEWS | GALLERY)
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16:36 hrs IST: Djokovic - Both Roger and Rafa have contributed to my success. I am a better player because I work very hard to challenge them. I am at the peak of my career
16:33 hrs IST: You can't stop Djokovic today. He wins a love game and wins the set and match 6-3 in just 40 minutes.
16:28 hrs IST: Tennis is at its best. Impossible returns from both players make it 30-30. A lucky point for Djokovic (40-30) helps him break Federer in game No. 8 (5-3). He will now serve for the match.
16:24 hrs IST: Meanwhile, in other news in the Australian Open, Sania Mirza and her partner Ivan Dodig defeated Martina Hingis and Leander Paes to reach the mixed doubles semi-finals while Serena Williams breezed into her seventh Australian Open final.
16:23 hrs IST: Djokovic has no problem making it 4-3. This set has already crossed 30 minutes.
16:20 hrs IST: Federer producing 200 kmph serves. The power and precision in his serves is really making a good impact now. Djokovic is erring on returns. Federer makes it 3-3.
16:17 hrs IST: Djokovic pins Federer on the back court. Federer's one-handed backhand not working. The Serb also making unforced errors but he takes a 3-2 lead.
16:14 hrs IST: Sensational running cross-court forehand return from Federer. The master wins a love game to draw even (2-2) vs Djokovic.
16:11 hrs IST: Djokovic takes 2-1 lead with an easy game. Federer will always be under pressure in this set. Both players slowing things down.
16:08 hrs IST: Federer makes it 1-1. He is really serving well now. One ace down the centre line left Djokovic totally guessing
16:05 hrs IST: Down 0-30, Djokovic reels off a series of points to win the first game of fourth set. Federer will be under pressure now.
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16:01 hrs IST: The players are back on court. Djokovic to serve in fourth set. Let's see if the 10-minute delay will hurt Federer's momentum
15:55 hrs IST: There will be an interruption due to rain. The roof at Rod Laver Arena will be closed. This will come at the wrong time for Federer, who has just won the third set to make it 1-2 against Djokovic.
15:52 hrs IST: Djokovic leads 6-1, 6-1, 3-6 in a thrilling semifinal at Rod Laver Arena. Can Federer produce one of his many famous comebacks?
15:50 hrs IST: Federer converts his third set point. Wins a torrid set in 45 minutes. Federer is alive and kicking again. Djokovic leads 2 sets to 1.
15:44 hrs IST: Djokovic wins game No. 8. It's 5-3 for the Serb. Pressure on Federer to serve out the set.
15:40 hrs IST: Federer playing his brilliant forehand returns. Pins Djokovic at the baseline. Extends lead to 5-2.
15:35 hrs IST: Djokovic makes the first double fault of the match.For the first time in the match Federer has four break points. He makes an impossible cross court forehand return at the net that leaves Rod Laver shaking his head. Federer breaks Djokovic in the longest game of the match so far to lead 4-2. Game on!
15:23 hrs IST: The shot of the match from Djokovic. A stunning cross-court return that just sails over the net and leaves Federer stranded. Federer saves a break point to lead 3-2 in the third set.
15:20 hrs IST: Djokovic makes it 2-2. Both players holding serves.
15:17 hrs IST: Federer slowly finding his rhythm. He is serving better, rushing towards the net and winning crucial points. Leads 2-1.
15:13 hrs IST: Lunging return from Federer draws applause from Djokovic but the Serb is also gaining from the errors the Swiss is making. It's 1-1 in the third set.
15:10 hrs IST: Federer wins a tight game in the third set. Leads 1-0. This is the set where he has to turn things around. The crowd is really backing him
15:07 hrs IST: The crowd is cheering for Federer. He remains a sentimental favourite. But Djokovic is proving just too strong for the 34-year-old Swiss
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15:05 hrs IST: Djokovic wins the second set 6-2 in 32 minutes. He is just unstoppable today. Doing nothing wrong so far. Can Federer pull out a miracle?
15:03 hrs IST: The 44 matches between Djokovic and Federer is the second highest tally in the Open era, beaten only by the 47 between Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, and the Serb credits his two biggest rivals for his dominance of recent years.
14:58 hrs IST: Federer saves two set points to remain in the set. Djokovic has a double break and is serving for the set leading 5-2
14:56 hrs IST: Djokovic extends lead to 5-1. Federer continues to make errors.
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14:52 hrs IST: Federer broken again. Djokovic leads 4-1. Brilliant rallies from the baseline. Djokovic winning points with some incredible cross-courts
14:48 hrs IST: Djokovic extends his lead to 3-1. Federer continues to hit wide returns. Ten errors from the Swiss is making it easy for the defending champion.
14:44 hrs IST: Federer broken in game No. 3. Djokovic leads 2-1 in second set. This is becoming too one-sided.
14:43 hrs IST: Federer has dropped just one set in five matches en route to his mouth-watering clash with the Serb. Djokovic has dropped a set more than the Swiss but has never lost in the semi-finals of the tournament.
14:41 hrs IST: Two back-to-back aces from Djokovic. He is on song. Wins a love game to make it 1-1.
14:39 hrs IST: Amazing standard by both players. Federer trying to slow down the pace. Djokovic playing deep from the court. After deuce, Federer wins a tight first game of the second set 1-0.
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14:33 hrs IST: Djokovic finding some great angles with his returns. Too fast and strong for Federer. Wins first set 6-1 with ease in just 22 minutes.
14:29 hrs IST: Superb rallies in the sixth game. Both players moving well. Great depth and anticipation, but Federer making errors. Djokovic breaks again. Leads 5-1.
14:26 hrs IST:Djokovic wins fifth game. But Federer came quite close to breaking the Serb. It's 4-1 for Djokovic
14:22 hrs IST: Federer wins his game but Djokovic is the boss on court. Federer has six unforced errors to Djokovic's one
14:20 hrs IST: It's 3-0 for Djokovic. Long rallies from the baseline and Federer is looking a bit rusty.
14:16 hrs IST: Djokovic breaks Federer in the second game. Stunning focus this man is showing already. 2-0 in first set
14:12 hrs IST: Strong start by Djokovic. Wins a love game. Good first serve and pretty cross courts from the Serb.
14:04 hrs IST: It's 25 degrees Centigrade, partly cloudy and the roof at Rod Laver Arena is open. This is certainly the biggest match of the tournament. Federer wins toss and will receive first. Love-all.
14:02 hrs IST: Reigning champion Novak Djokovic and number three seed Roger Federer arrive on Centre Court. At stake is a shot at history. Both are bidding to equal Australian Roy Emerson's record of six titles, set in the pre-Open era, and their head-to-head count is tied at 22 wins apiece.
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The 34-year-old Swiss has built steadily throughout his run at Melbourne Park and the composed nature of his victories against the young pretender Grigor Dimitrov in the third round and Tomas Berdych showed Federer would be more than ready for a last-four showdown. (22-All And Game On For Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer)
Djokovic entered his 29th Grand Slam semi-final and sixth at Melbourne Park with an easy 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 win against Kei Nishikori. The Serb will face 17-Times Grand Slam champion Federer, who he beat for the US Open and Wimbledon titles last year.
The pair's win-loss record is perfectly weighted at 22-22, though Djokovic won five of their eight meetings last season.
Djokovic wants his best vs Federer
"It keeps going," Djokovic said of the rivalry with Federer. "My best is what is going to be necessary to win against him. Hopefully I'll be able to deliver."
Surely Djokovic will need something special to stop a marauding Federer. The Swiss legend ramped his game up another level in a clinically efficient 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-4 win over sixth seed Berdych on Tuesday and advance to his 12th Australian Open semi-final.
Berdych was a potentially tricky quarter-final opponent for the 34-year-old Swiss, having beaten him the last two times they had clashed at a Grand Slam.
"It's part of the reason why I guess I'm still playing. I feel like I'm competitive at the top. I can beat all the guys on tour," Federer told reporters.
"It's nice now that in the last three slams that I've been as consistent as I have been."
A poor recent record for Federer
Federer has made the final at the last two Grand Slams but lost both to world number one Djokovic.
Djokovic entered the quarter-final against Japanese Nishikori in the wake of a five-set marathon with the indefatigable Gilles Simon, a match he was desperate to forget after racking up exactly 100 unforced errors.
The Djokovic that faced Nishikori, the winner of their only previous Grand Slam encounter in the 2014 US Open semi-finals, was not far from the imperious best of the man that clinched three of the four Majors last year.
(With inputs from Reuters)