Djokovic meets Federer on the hard court for the 45th time in the semifinal round of the 2016 Australian Open at Melbourne Park, reliving one of the most intense rivalries in tennis history.
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Djokovic came back strongly after making 100 unforced errors against Frenchman Gilles Simon in the fourth round to down number seven seed Kei Nishikori 6-3 6-2 6-4 in the quarter-finals.
Federer has taken a back seat to Djokovic and Co. since last winning a major in 2012.
Sharapova broke the American in the first game and mounted a stiff challenge in the opening set but wilted in the second. She called the trainer out at the changeover after a tight first set, revealing later she had some “food-poisoning issues”. The Swiss maestro, who was bothered by a flu in the Australian open warm up event at Brisbane, seems to be in much better shape this fortnight and definitely stands to be the biggest threat to Djokovic’s quest for a record 6th Australian Open title. “He came up and played the first couple games very fast, very quick. She makes you go back to the drawing board, not just for me, but for many other players”, she said. “He’s been playing on a very high level at this tournament and he dropped only one set”. “It’s not a stat that’s set in stone – I still have to win two matches”.
Djokovic also acknowledged that competing with Federer and Rafael Nadal has helped him to elevate his own game. Hours earlier on Rod Laver Arena, Williams advanced to within one win of another Grand Slam milestone, beating Agnieszka Radwanska 6-0, 6-4 in a semifinal Thursday that was nearly a non-contest between the players who’ll be Nos. Both men made it to the Semi-Finals winning their last eight matches in straight sets.
“It’s part of the reason why I guess I’m still playing”.
Williams said she wasn’t aware that she had won the Australian Open all six previous times she won her quarterfinal match, “but that’s good”. Agnieszka Radwanska was the victor in her last four semifinal games at a major tennis match, but is said to have never been the victor of a Grand Slam title. The Swiss Maestro, who reached his 12th Melbourne semifinal, displayed another impressive performance to fend off Czech Tomas Berdych in straight sets 7-6(4) 6-2 6-4.
While her record against Williams is not yet on the scale of Sharapova, it is still dismal. 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. But he played good tennis.
It was Williams’ 18th win in a row and the 19th win out of the 21 times the two players have faced each other since 2004.
Williams, who only lost three matches in 56 last season, called the trainer out at the changeover, apparently feeling unwell, but soldiered on and took control with an early break in the second set.
“[Djokovic] will be hitting passing shots and I’ll be there attacking”, Federer said. She’s a really nice girl.
The Russian tennis star started the match strong, but was unable to keep her momentum. “I mean, I think I would be a real princess if I was complaining”.
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Federer has been the most impressive player thus far in the men’s draw and is playing well enough to win his fifth Australian Open title.
