Federer stands a chance of disarming Djokovic should they face one another in the Australian Open Semifinals.
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Kei Nishikori was hoping to recreate the magic that took him past Novak Djokovic in the 2014 U.S. Open semifinals, but he never found his footing against the world No. 1 and fell meekly, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4, on Tuesday night in Melbourne. Afterward, he reflected on his efficiency. “He’s trying lately to come to the net more, kind of shorten up the rallies. That’s why I think it got brought up”. Every player manages to defend or pass it differently.
She said after her last match that part of her intensity and focus on court came from thriving on big-match pressure, a trait that served her well again on Monday.
Both players exchanged early service breaks and Berdych fought off a set point at 5-4 before the opening set went to a tiebreaker. All of the unseeded players have been eliminated, and 6 of the top 8 seeds have made it to this round. The third was more competitive.
Roger Federer’s “SABR” (Sneak Attack By Roger) has been conspicuously absent at the Australian Open, but the Swiss great pledged it will make an appearance in the semi-finals.
Perhaps symbolically, Federer ended the 2-hour, 16-minute bout with a crushing overhead that Berdych could only watch.
When asked if it was the best that he had ever seen Djokovic play, the 26-year-old said: “I don’t know”. It was the one that took the longest, had the most importance of all the sets, in my opinion. “I’m very happy I was able to play this way”. Who knows? If not physical, also mental. His serve was immaculate, as he lost just two points behind it in the opening set, while his piercing groundstrokes consistently found their mark.
So, here’s to Federer inching that much closer to another grand slam crown. The Swiss star has now won five straight in the rivalry. Just two weeks before that, following a straight-sets loss against Djokovic at Wimbledon, Tomic went on an extraordinary diatribe directed at Tennis Australia, notably director of performance Patrick Rafter, for its lack of support. Then Berdych hit a poor approach shot that his opponent returned for a clean victor. “It’s the only thing they know and I know really for the last 20 years”, said Federer.
“That was a goal, to decrease the unforced errors ratio”, Djokovic said, smiling. Federer is getting at least 62 percent of his first serves in play and is winning no less than 75 percent of those points.
He said Kyrgios was a great player, but the next few years would be crucial for his career.
Djokovic himself looked surprisingly shaky in his fourth round game with Gilles Simon of France – with the Serbian uncharacteristically taken to five sets to decide that encounter.
Federer, who is looking to add to his record 17 Grand Slam titles at the age of 34, said Berdych would gain confidence from coming through his five-set fourth-round match with Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut. Too many guys are working hard. You have to be aware at all times. It makes a big difference.
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The men’s tournament has given us a number of thrilling matches, but the results to this point have been mostly chalk.
