Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer’s semifinal in the Australian Open lasted two hours and 19 minutes.
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“Well, I’ve had matches where I played similar tennis”, Djokovic said.
Djokovic held three match points in the next game and clinched it when Federer netted a backhand.
“It’s part of the reason why I guess I’m still playing”, Federer said.
With Djokovic leading by two sets and serving at 2-3, Federer finally got his first break points of the match.
Djokovic served out confidently and will attempt to win his 11th grand slam title on Sunday against either Andy Murray or Milos Raonic who play on Friday. I can run for four or five hours – it’s not a problem.
“I know you guys (media) make it a different case”.
Also spotted at the Australian Open were Australian Test skipper Steve Smith and his teammates Glenn Maxwell and Peter Siddle.
No. 7-seeded Kerber led 3-0 before Konta went on a four-game roll to get back into the set.
“I’ve worked hard to challenge rivals like Roger and Rafa (Nadal) and I feel at the peak of my career”, Djokovic said. Plus, the crowd was squarely in Federer’s corner, “applauding Djokovic’s service faults and giving Federer a standing ovation when he broke to go ahead 4-2 in the third set”, the Associated Press reports.
Djokovic’s amusing burn had the Rod Laver Arena crowd applauding as loudly as they had done all night, showing they appreciate a good joke as well as any forehand victor.
The first two sets, which Djokovic won in a swift 54 minutes, were especially stunning.
Federer threw caution to the wind by attempting a second-serve serve-and-volley but Djokovic blasted a marvellous cross-court return to capture the decisive break.
Last year Federer did beat Djokovic in Dubai, Cincinnati, and at the ATP World Tour Finals.
“You have to be on the top of your game because he hasn’t really dropped the level at all I think in the last seven, eight years that I’ve been playing against him”, Djokovic said.
Kerber stands between Williams and a 22nd grand slam singles title, which would allow the American to match the record of the German’s compatriot, childhood hero and mentor Steffi Graf. Having not been able to get near the the champion, the 34-year-old’s fightback continued in thrilling fashion as he searched for an elusive breakpoint to change the face of the contest.
“I have self-confidence as well, that doesn’t fade away very quickly”, Federer said.
“I played unbelievable in the first two sets”, Djokovic told Jim Courier in the on-court interview.
“I am a top player right now”. She was two matches away from a calendar-year Grand Slam in 2015 when she lost to Roberta Vinci in the U.S. Open semifinals.
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Australian-born Johanna Konta, who now has British citizenship, plays a women’s semifinal against Angelique Kerber on Rod Laver Arena after defending champion Serena Williams takes on Agnieszka Radwanska.
