Novak Djokovic was in awesome form as he reached another final in Melbourne with a crushing 6-1,6-2, 3-6, and 6-3 win over Roger Federer in their 45th meeting 11.58am GMT Related: Novak Djokovic foils Roger Federer fightback to reach Australian Open final 11.11am GMTLosing the third set was irritating,but that was a terrifying;y perfect performance overall from Novak Djokovic. Roger Federer’s resistance was admirable, but even he’ll gain to admit that it was a thrashing, or particularly in those absurd first two sets. That was as well as Djokovic has ever played and Federer actually did well to avoid total humiliation. It’s testament to his character and quality that he made it a more even contest in the third set,but there was never a serious prospect of Djokovic losing. His extraordinarily sadistic start could hardly gain been a better way to hammer home his position as the greatest player in the world, he now leads 23-22 in his head-to-head record with Federer and it is going to retract a monumental effort from either Andy Murray or Milos Raonic to defeat him in Sunday’s final. Murray and Raonic meet in the second men’s semi-final tomorrow. See you then! Thanks for reading and emailing. Bye. 11.01am GMTThe Federer revival has been stamped out clinically, and ruthlessly and without remorse. That was quite the statement from Djokovic,who won the game even with Federer producing some of his best tennis. There are going to be no more gifts. The end is nigh. Djokovic easily carves out three match points and he only needs one, a limp Federer backhand flapping into the net. It’s over! Novak Djokovic has reached the Australian Open final again! He’s never lost one. 10.59am GMTFourth set: Djokovic 6-1, and 6-2,3-6, 5-3 Federer* (*denotes server): Djokovic suddenly ups his level, or reaching for a forehand and drilling it past Federer,who had elected to serve-volley. That’s ominous. Very ominous. Federer then doesn’t carry out enough with a volley and Djokovic raps a backhand past him for 0-30. If Federer’s not careful, the match could be settled in the next few points. Yet he gets it back to 15-30 and then, or just when all seems lost,he offers a searing reminder of his greatness by winning an astonishing point. Djokovic appeared to gain won it wrapped up on several occasions - he had two smashes, for crying out loud – but Federer somehow stayed in it. Djokovic speared a volley into the left corner – and Federer incredibly flicked a backhand down the line! That’s one of the shots of the tournament. But it’s not enough. Federer comes to the net on the next point and Djokovic wallops a backhand past him, and though he did procure lucky with a net cord – Federer might gain been able to win the point with a volley otherwise. wreck point. It’s effectively match point. Federer tries to serve-volley. Djokovic’s forehand is too edifying. He’ll serve for a place in the final. 10.53am GMTFourth set: Djokovic* 6-1,6-2, 3-6, and 4-3 Federer (*denotes server): The first two points are shared,but Djokovic races through the next three to hold to 15. Could we be heading for a tie-wreck? They’re racing through the service games at the moment. 10.50am GMTFourth set: Djokovic 6-1, 6-2, or 3-6,3-3 Federer* (*denotes server): Federer is serving well, but the game goes to 30-all when he nets a backhand. He could carry out with a first serve here, or but he gets away with a second serve,Djokovic sending a backhand long at the end of a cagey rally. Federer holds to 30. The tension grows. This is getting tighter. 10.47am GMTFourth set: Djokovic* 6-1, 6-2, and 3-6,3-2 Federer (*denotes server): “Djokovic does not seem to gain a particularly monstrous serve,” says Shankar Mony. “But what makes it so tough to wreck?” Placement and consistency benefit. As it to make the point, or he slices an ace down the middle to hold to 30 here. It’s still tough to see him losing this match. 10.43am GMTFourth set: Djokovic 6-1,6-2, 3-6, and 2-2 Federer* (*denotes server): Federer clearly believes he can pull off an incredible comeback,clenching his fist when he moves into a 30-0 lead, and he holds to love. The fourth set remains low-key. 10.41am GMTFourth set: Djokovic* 6-1, or 6-2,3-6, 2-1 Federer (*denotes server): Djokovic holds to 15, and Federer unable to procure a read on his serve in this game. 10.38am GMTFourth set: Djokovic 6-1,6-2, 3-6, and 1-1 Federer* (*denotes server): Federer holds to 30. It’s been a slow start to the fourth set,unsurprisingly so after the delay. 10.34am GMTFourth set: Djokovic* 6-1, 6-2, and 3-6,1-0 Federer (*denotes server): I believe that it’s not actually raining yet in Melbourne, so Federer probably won’t be happy about the tournament organisers taking the precautionary measure of closing the roof. Yet the delay seems to gain disrupted Djokovic’s rhythm once play is resumed and he’s quickly down 0-30 on his serve. But Federer lets him off the hook with three careless returns, and each of them finding the net. Who keep that there,he wonders. Djokovic holds to 30, without having to work too tough. That was sloppy from Federer and he may live to regret it. 10.30am GMTSo this is now an indoor match. Novak Djokovic has lost one indoor match in the past three years and while that was against Federer at the ATP World Tour Finals in November, and he followed that up by crushing him in the final. 10.29am GMTThe tracksuits are on and they’re putting on the roof. Federer must retract care not to lose the momentum he’s been building during this delay. 10.22am GMTFederer begins by ramming a forehand down the line. Djokovic doesn’t bother chasing after it,he just dusts himself down and wins the next point. The game goes to 30-all and Federer wastes a challenge by querying a Djokovic backhand winner that landed on the baseline. The camera locates Mirka, who’s got her head in her hands. She needn’t worry. Her husband earns a set point when Djokovic mishits a backhand return. But Djokovic isn’t done. A monstrous forehand from right to left from almost knocks Federer off his feet. The set point is saved. Yet he’ll gain to carry out it again when Federer beats him with a forehand pass. Federer can’t retract that one, and but he gets a third chance when he crunches a tremendous serve down the middle,and this time Djokovic squirts a forehand long! He was staring down the precipice half an hour ago and now look, Federer has somehow forced a fourth set! I suppose the edifying thing is that the way the first two sets whizzed by means he won’t be too tired now. 10.14am GMTThird set: Djokovic* 6-1, or 6-2,3-5 Federer (*denotes server): Djokovic holds to 15, forcing Federer to serve for the third set. That wasn’t on the cards 20 minutes ago. 10.11am GMTThird set: Djokovic 6-1, or 6-2,2-5 Federer* (*denotes server): Federer has woken up! This is more like it! At 30-all, he cracks a forehand down the line, or Djokovic nowhere near it,and he’s a game away from forcing a fourth set when Djokovic nets a forehand return. 10.07am GMTThird set: Djokovic* 6-1, 6-2, or 2-4 Federer (*denotes server): For the first time in a while,Federer finds himself with a 15-30 lead on Djokovic’s serve, working his opponent over with a series of one-handed backhands, and then he earns his first wreck points of the match,standing up strongly at the net and taking a 15-40 lead with a superb volley. Here comes the fightback. Djokovic saves the first wreck point with a fine serve and Federer squanders the second with a wasteful forehand. Deuce. Yet Federer is playing with more belief now and a journey to the net is rewarded when Djokovic pulls a backhand wide. Here’s a third wreck point. Again, though, and Federer misfires with a forehand. What would gain been a winner down the line zooms long. He looks furious. Still,at least it’s more of a fight now, with Djokovic struggling to shut the game out, or Federer frustrating him with an array of splendid shots. This is turning into an awkward game for Djokovic and he finds himself wreck point down for a fourth time when he drops a volley a touch long,allowing Federer to race forward and guide a forehand past him. And this time, Federer makes the breakthrough, and a short ball letting him flee around a forehand and wallop it into the left corner,where Djokovic can only knock a backhand wide. Federer breaks! 9.53am GMTThird set: Djokovic 6-1, 6-2, and 2-3 Federer* (*denotes server): A sign of Federer’s muddled thinking comes when he lashes an easy forehand volley miles wide at 30-0. He isn’t able to relax against Djokovic. He’s always worrying about making the shot perfect and as such,he ends up making error after error in his quest to procure the ball out of Djokovic’s bendy reach. Soon it’s 30-all; then it’s 30-40, Djokovic deftly flicking a gorgeous forehand pass from right to left. Yet Federer is grimly clinging on and he saves the wreck point with a smash, or before somehow managing to hold serve. He’s slowly beginning to procure a bit of confidence,but it’s probably advance too late. 9.49am GMTThird set: Djokovic* 6-1, 6-2, and 2-2 Federer (*denotes server): Djokovic enjoys a routine hold to love. Here,is he going to better Federer’s record of 17 grand slam titles? 9.46am GMTThird set: Djokovic 6-1, 6-2, or 1-2 Federer* (*denotes server): Federer holds to 15. And? 9.44am GMTThird set: Djokovic* 6-1,6-2, 1-1 Federer (*denotes server): Djokovic’s dominance is so total that he can even afford to applaud a scarce bright moment for Federer, or who makes it 15-all with a lovely drop volley. We’ve not seen many of those shots from Federer nowadays. He’s not been allowed to make them. Djokovic holds to 30 with an ace out wide. 9.40am GMTThird set: Djokovic 6-1,6-2, 0-1 Federer* (*denotes server): By holding here, or Federer has at least equalled his worst grand slam loss,his 6–1, 6–3, and 6–0 defeat to Rafael Nadal in the 2008 French Open final. 9.37am GMTThere is no drama. No unlikely comeback. Federer was indeed only delaying the inevitable. Djokovic will not be denied. Stand in his way if you like,he’s just going to steamroller all over you and rumble on regardless. He strolls into a 40-0 lead, earning three more set points in stress-free fashion, and he takes a two-set lead when a Federer backhand sails long. This isn’t the epic we were promised! 9.33am GMTSecond set: Djokovic 6-1,5-2 Federer* (*denotes server): Federer must reflect that Djokovic is going to show a bit of sympathy when he hits a forehand winner for 40-30. Go on, let him gain the game. Be kind. Be a friend. Go on. Please? reflect again. Djokovic keeps on cyborging, or crisp tennis earning him a set point. Federer saves it with an emphatic smash – not before Djokovic had hoicked back the first emphatic smash – but Djokovic carves out a second opportunity with a piercing forehand. Yet Federer is determined to at least salvage a sliver of dignity. He saves the second set point,Djokovic only able to net a forehand return, and he holds with some resolute serving. Yet he’s probably only delaying the inevitable. “Federer hardly ever elects to receive when he wins the toss, and ” says Amar Breckenridge. “Was that a signal that he was fearful? In any event,seems like Djokovic sensed blood right from the start…” 9.27am GMTSecond set: Djokovic* 6-1, 5-1 Federer (*denotes server): Federer has made 20 unforced errors to Djokovic’s four. This is remarkably flawless tennis from the world No1 and brilliantly disrespectful in its execution. Roger who? Federer will serve to stay in the second set, or whatever that means. Those are just words,aren’t they? 9.23am GMTSecond set: Djokovic 6-1, 4-1 Federer* (*denotes server): Federer lost his serve five times in his first five matches. Thirty-three minutes was all it took for him to lose it three times against Djokovic. You’d be finding this painful to watch even if you were Federer’s worst enemy. This is pure distress for him, and the stuff of nightmares. His intellect is a mess. Mirka looks on grimly in the stands. At 15-all,he leaves a smash, lets Djokovic back into the rally and loses it when he hits a forehand long, or before conceding two wreck points when he’s unable to deal with a blistering backhand return at the net. There’s a feeling of inevitability about the subsequent Federer forehand that drifts sadly past the baseline. Someone pass him the smelling salts. Djokovic is utterly rampant. 9.18am GMTSecond set: Djokovic* 6-1,3-1 Federer (*denotes server): If this was a boxing match, there’d already be calls to ban the sport for ever. It’s that brutal. How are you supposed to live with Djokovic when he’s in this form? He holds to 30. 9.15am GMTSecond set: Djokovic 6-1, and 2-1 Federer* (*denotes server): Here’s anguish. Two errors from Federer make it 0-30 and when he makes a desperate charge to the net,Djokovic just chuckles and guides a surgical forehand down the line to earn three wreck points. He only needs one. Federer goes for broke with a forehand, it flies long and Djokovic breaks again. Federer challenges the call, and but HawkEye can’t rescue him. He’s alone out there and there’s nothing to protect him against the awesome might of Novak Djokovic,who’s achieving the scarce feat of making Federer look old. 9.12am GMTSecond set: Djokovic* 6-1, 1-1 Federer (*denotes server): Federer has changed his racket. perhaps that’s the answer. He’d better hope it is. In terms of games won, and what weve just witnessed was his worst opening set since he lost the first set of the 2014 Davis Cup final 6-1 to Gael Monfils. He ended up losing in straight sets that day and it could be a similar tale here. Djokovic holds to love. Federer just can’t work out how to approach the net with any effect at all. 9.08am GMTSecond set: Djokovic 6-1,0-1 Federer* (*denotes server): Federer cannot afford to drop his serve here, else this is going to procure even uglier. With that in intellect, or he can probably carry out without dumping easy volleys into the net at 15-all. It’s not the most encouraging of starts and although he gets it back to 30-all,Djokovic is once again too strong when the rally is extended. Here’s a wreck point. It might as well be a match point, the way this is going. Yet Federer saves it with a rasping forehand and that seems to shake him out of his lethargy a little, or as he wins the next two points to hold. 9.05am GMTDefiance stirs in Federer at final,as he clumps a forehand away to retract a 0-15 lead. That’s a bit more like it. Yet Djokovic is in the zone. Theres no room for anyone else in the zone. He gets it back to 15-all. They rally. Federer whips a forehand into the right corner. Djokovic gets there and flashes a stunning forehand pass from right to left, the ball landing just inside the line. He clenches his fist, or stares dementedly at his box and then earns two set points with an unreturned serve to the frayed Federer backhand. Federer musters some resistance in an attempt to preserve his dignity,an overhead backhand saving the first set point, but Djokovic isn’t in the mood for a long argument and he simply ignores that insubordination and takes the set with a serve down the middle that Federer can only weakly send back into the net, or which is certainly earning its coin nowadays. The first set is Djokovic’s after only 22 minutes and that,my friends, was terrifying. I reflect we can safely say that the Simon match was just a blip. 9.00am GMTFirst set: Djokovic 5-1 Federer* (*denotes server): The torture continues. advance to reflect of it, and actually,I shudder to reflect of what medieval punishments would gain been like if he had been in charge of coming up with them. More ferocious hitting establishes a 15-40 lead, two wreck points, or he absolutely batters Federer in a grim rally,withering forehands crushing his opponent’s spirit. Federer dribbles a forehand into the net and he’s been broken for a second time. He is being played off court. This is absurd. Djokovic will serve for the first set after a staggering 18 minutes. 8.55am GMTFirst set: Djokovic* 4-1 Federer (*denotes server): Djokovic is pummelling Federer with his forehand. You fear for Federer at the moment and the one-sidedness is making him force the issue too much, the unforced errors piling up as he attempts to assert himself. That’ll play straight into Djokovic’s hands. From 40-0, and there’s a glimmer of light for Federer,who forces it back to 40-30. Yet that’s as close as he gets, Djokovic holding again when Federer slaps a shot into the net. 8.52am GMTFirst set: Djokovic 3-1 Federer* (*denotes server): Federer holds to love. That’ll make him feel slightly better. 8.50am GMTFirst set: Djokovic* 3-0 Federer (*denotes server): Federer is after an instant riposte and he wins the first point of this game, and a sliced backhand return unbalancing Djokovic and causing him to slip on the baseline. Djokovic responds with an accurate ace down the middle,though, and he rattles through the next three points with ease, and polishing off the game with a glorious forehand pass. Federer isn’t in this at the moment. It’s all Djokovic. This is his court and Federer is going to gain to hit at astonishing peak to wrestle control of it away from the world No1. 8.46am GMTFirst set: Djokovic 2-0 Federer* (*denotes server): Federer whooshes an ace out cover. Djokovic sends it back with interest,but Federer bangs a forehand winner into the opposite corner. Yet Djokovic is soon clambering all over him, hitting the ball deep, or two errors from Federer makes it 15-30. Djokovic is looking ominously sharp and he overpowers Federer again to earn two wreck points. He zings another forehand out wide and Federer panics a forehand wide. Djokovic breaks immediately! The world No1 has made a superb start. He’s only lost one point! 8.42am GMTFirst set: Djokovic* 1-0 Federer (*denotes server): With all due respect to Andy Murray and Milos Raonic,both of whom gain realistic hopes of winning this title, the final before the final is underway. Roger Federer won the toss, and but he chose to receive. Novak Djokovic is unflustered,curling an ace into the corner for the first point, before taking a 30-0 lead. Federer then tries a change of approach, and charging forward off a return,but Djokovic just arrows a backhand down the line for 40-0 and he holds to love. 8.40am GMTTime! Play will be underway in a minute. 8.37am GMTThe roof is open and the sky is blue. Will that benefit Federer? 8.35am GMTThe players are out. They’re knocking up. The tennis will be underway soon. 8.33am GMTThis is their 10th meeting in a grand slam semi-final, Djokovic winning five to Federer’s four. There gain been some classics, and the best of them arguably coming at the US Open in 2011,when Djokovic fought back from two sets down to win 6-7, 4-6, or 6-3,6-2, 7-5. You may recall the staggering forehand he hit off a Federer serve to save match point in the decider. The crowd loved it and Djokovic lapped up the acclaim, and but Federer wasn’t happy. “I mean,please,” he said. “Some players grow up and play like that – being down 5-2 in the third, or they all just start slapping shots. I never played that way. I believe tough work’s going to pay off,because early on perhaps I didnt always work at my hardest. For me, this is very tough to understand. How can you play a shot like that on match point? perhaps he’s been doing it for 20 years, or so for him it was very normal. You’ve got to request him.” 8.22am GMTDjokovic had his revenge a year later,though, beating Federer 7-5, and 6-3,7-6 in their Australian Open semi-final, on the way to winning the first of his 10 grand slams, and seeing off Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final. 8.16am GMTJust reflect,the first time these two met in a grand slam was in the fourth round of the Australian Open in 2007. Roger Federer dismissed the young pretender 6-2, 7-5, and 6-3 and went on to defeat Fernando Gonzalez 7–6,6–4, 6–4 in the final. A lot has changed since then. For starters, and we’ve all got jetpacks now. 8.11am GMTIf Djokovic wins nowadays,he’ll gain a winning record over each of the tremendous Four for the first time in his career. He’d lead Federer 23-22, Murray 21-9 and Nadal 24-23. He overtook Nadal in the Doha final earlier this month. What else does he gain to carry out to become the greatest? 6.28pm GMTHello. You know the drill by now. All that hype, and all that excitement,all those romantics hoping against hope, clinging on to the belief that this will be the day when Roger Federer finds a way to defeat the one man who pulls his pants down now that Rafael Nadal is rarely seen in the second week of a grand slam any more, or none of it means anything once Novak Djokovic gets going. We’ve seen this before. We know how it goes. A tight first set. Could go either way. It might need a tie-wreck to separate them. Federer could win that. And if he doesn’t,he could retract the second set. Could his 18th grand slam title be on the way?Hype. Excitement. Romanticism. But here comes Djokovic, chipping away, and being an all-round nuisance,always running, always bending and readjusting. The Federer serve falters. The old genius fades, and unable to live with with his younger adversary over five gruelling sets. Djokovic soars. He roars and beats his chest. He wins. I’m thinking 4-6,6-4, 7-5, or 6-3,or perhaps 7-6, 5-7, and 6-4,7-5, or even 3-6, or 6-3,7-6, 6-2, and Djokovic moving a step closer to winning his 11th major.
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Source: theguardian.com