There's no Rafa Nadal or Roger Federer... but Novak Djokovic is in brilliant form

 

Flushing Meadows

Juan Martin del Potro, who was beaten 6-2, 7-6, 6-4 by Novak Djokovic in a US Open quarter-final of the highest quality here on Thursday night, believes the Serb will go on to retain his title this weekend.

"He's playing better and better every day and every tournament," Del Potro said. "He is the favourite to win this tournament. I saw him playing at a very high level for three hours in our match and he has the intensity to win all the matches in the tournament."

In terms of the quality of the tennis on both sides of the net, this was the match of the tournament so far. Del Potro, who has been gradually recapturing his best form since missing a year after injuring his wrist in the wake of his 2009 triumph here, attacked from the start, battering Djokovic with his huge groundstrokes, but the world No 2 held firm. Some of Djokovic's defence was breathtaking as he kept taking Del Potro's biggest blows before coming off the ropes to land his own winning punches.

The turning point was the end of the second set, which lasted 84 minutes. Del Potro made the early break, but when the Argentine served for the set at 5-4 Djokovic broke back. At 5-6 Del Potro had to save three set points in a 17-minute game that contained eight deuces. Djokovic won a remarkable 20-shot rally to go 6-3 up in the tie-break and took the set with a point that summed up his ability to turn defence into attack, hitting a running backhand winner from well behind the baseline.

Djokovic, who will play David Ferrer in today's semi-finals after the Spaniard beat Janko Tipsarevic 6-3, 6-7, 2-6, 6-3, 7-6, went on to win the third set more comfortably, but paid tribute afterwards to the quality of Del Potro's play.

"It was a straight-sets win, but it was much, much closer and tougher than the score really indicated," Djokovic said. "We played for three hours. I think that second set especially was crucial because it gave me a two-set advantage and helped me feel better coming into the third.

"It could really have gone either way. It was very long and there were a lot of important and exciting long rallies. The crowd got into it. In one way it was a lot of fun to be a part of this great match.

"I was aware of his qualities before the match. He's a big guy and has a very powerful serve. His first shot is great, especially from the forehand side. He moves really well for his size. I tried to be aggressive and get him moving. I knew the longer the rally went on I would have more chances, but I couldn't make it all the time because he was very aggressive, staying close to the line. But I managed to play a great game at 5-4 in the second set and turned things around."

Djokovic, who beat Rafael Nadal in the final 12 months ago to claim his third Grand Slam title of the year, is building an admirable record of consistency. He was playing in his 14th consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final and is now through to his 10th successive Grand Slam semi-final. This is also the sixth year in a row where he has made the last four here.

Ferrer lost to Djokovic in the Serb's first US Open semi-final in 2007. The 30-year-old Spaniard has been considered a clay-court specialist in the past, but of his four appearances in Grand Slam semi-finals this will be his third on hard courts. He has won five titles on three different surfaces this year and has made at least the quarter-finals of all four Grand Slam events in 2012. However, he has never reached a Grand Slam final and on the evidence of Djokovic's form here he will still be waiting by the close of play today.

Independent Comment
blog comments powered by Disqus
Caption competition
Caption competition
News in pictures
World news in pictures
Sport blogs

On The Road at the Giro d’Italia: It sounds sadistic, but the team live for the mountain stages

Three weeks ago as I drove off the Eurostar, I remember thinking what a very long time it was until ...

by Martin Ayres

iBet: Rose has the ammunition for Wentworth

McDowell did brilliantly to land the World Match Play title in Bulgaria last week, but it’s a format...

by Gareth Purnell

Brits on fire in the wet at Le Mans!

Wow - what a weekend for British Motorcycle racing!

by Luke Wilkins

       
James Pembroke: The man who's eaten everywhere

The man who's eaten everywhere

Few people know more about restaurants than James Pembroke, who only spent five mealtimes at home during his entire childhood.
A Berliner in 1963 – but did John F Kennedy once admire Adolf Hitler?

A Berliner in 1963 – but did John F Kennedy once admire Adolf Hitler?

The young JFK praised 'superior' Nordic races during visits to Germany
Banned Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof to attend Cannes Film Festival 2013, his first public appearance since prison

Banned Iranian director to attend Cannes Film Festival

Mohammad Rasoulof to make his first public appearance since being imprisoned three years ago
Seeing the larger picture: Inspiring images of space

Seeing the larger picture: Inspiring images of space

An exhibition explores images how photography has shaped astronomy
Eat Spam and carry on: Wartime pamphlets could teach us a thing or two about healthy, thrifty eating

Eat Spam and carry on

Wartime pamphlets could teach us a thing or two about healthy, thrifty eating
The 10 Best salt and pepper sets

The 10 Best salt and pepper sets

Whether they're for everyday use or to make your dining table look just right, it's worth getting a stylish shaker...
Giro d'Italia: The Stelvio Pass - cycling's killer climb

The Stelvio Pass - cycling's killer climb

As the Giro d'Italia tackles the brutal climb, Simon Usborne takes on the snow and switchbacks – and soon realises what the fuss is about
National archives: Edward VIII’s phone calls - and how MI5 bugged them

Edward VIII’s phone calls - and how MI5 bugged them

Newly unearthed papers reveal a shocking extra dimension to the constitutional crisis over monarch’s abdication
Sent down at the Old Bailey: A tour of the world's most famous court

Sent down at the Old Bailey

A tour of the world's most famous court
Hollywood's random acts of red-carpet kindness

Hollywood's random acts of red-carpet kindness

The Hangover actor Zach Galifianakis’s date for his movie premieres isn’t arm candy  – it’s his 87-year-old friend who he saved from homelessness
British football scores an own goal

British football scores an own goal

Many managers barely survive a year in post. Martin Baker talks to experts who make a case for clubs using forensic business skills to find the best staff
James Lawton: Sergio Garcia cracks as major fault line opens up again

James Lawton

Sergio Garcia cracks as major fault line opens up again
Dylan Hartley: Northampton have spent the season proving all our critics wrong

Dylan Hartley talks tough

Northampton have spent the season proving all our critics wrong
Watch out Watford: Here comes the secretive Bilderberg Group

Watch out Watford: Here comes the secretive Bilderberg Group

A meeting of global power brokers in a Hertfordshire hotel is exciting conspiracy theorists, but what are they really about?