Novak Djokovic topped the Argentine in straight sets, 6-2, 7-6 (3), 6-4, to advance to the U.S. Open semifinals against David Ferrer.
JUST DON’T LOOK: Juan Martin del Potro can’t bear to watch after losing a point to No. 2 seed Novak Djokovic (inset), who topped the Argentine in straight sets, 6-2, 7-6 (3), 6-4, to advance to the U.S. Open semifinals against David Ferrer. (AP; AFP/Getty Images (inset))
Look out, Flushing Meadows. Defending champion Novak Djokovic is back at it, on the loose again, playing the most riveting tennis at this year’s U.S. Open.
In a wondrous performance in a baseline slugfest between two former U.S. Open champions, Djokovic survived an 84-minute second set and knocked out No. 7 seed Juan Martin Del Potro with a 6-2, 7-6, 6-4 quarterfinal victory before a raptured Ashe Stadium crowd of 24,674.
The 6-foot-6 Argentine, who had routed Djokovic at the London Olympics for the bronze medal and sent Andy Roddick into retirement Wednesday, played a great match but not great enough to beat cat-quick Djokovic, suddenly looking like the dynamo of 2011.
It was power tennis at its best as they went toe to toe, dazzling rally after dazzling rally. Del Potro hit so many bullets that looked like clear winners before Djokovic tracked them down.
“I always try to fight every point,’’ Del Potro said. “It’s difficult when you have in front of you a warrior.’’
The Serbian returned Del Potro’s missile serves with stunning backhand angles, painted lines and advanced to his 10th straight Grand Slam semifinal. It also will be Djokovic’s sixth straight Open semifinal, and he doesn’t have to deal with Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal this time.
“I love playing night sessions,’’ Djokovic said on the court. “Even though it was a straight-set win, it was much closer than the score indicated. He’s a great player. I was lucky to get out of the second set with a 2-0 advantage. We played incredible rallies, incredible points.’’
He will be a big favorite in his semifinal matchup tomorrow with Spaniard David Ferrer, who must recover from a five-set marathon yesterday against Janko Tipsarevic. Djokovic has won four of their last five meetings.
“He’s playing better and better every day,’’ Del Potro said. “He’s the favorite to win this tournament.’’
Of the men’s final four who will duel on Super Saturday, only Djokovic has won a Grand Slam title before. Andy Murray will battle Tomas Berdych, the Federer slayer, in the other semifinal.
Djokovic has not dropped a set this tournament and his laser-like focus on marathon points is remarkably consistent. Djokovic smoked 43 winners and won the 84-minute second set in a 7-3 tiebreaker. It was the second longest set of the 2012 Open and one of the best played.
Del Potro actually got up a break early in the second set, winning the first 10 points of the stanza. He served for the set at 5-4, looking to even the match at 1-1.
But Djokovic pulled a rabbit out of a hat, breaking Del Potro with his best spate of defensive tennis. At 30-30, Djokovic won a 26-shot rally of powdered groundstrokes, with Del Potro blinking first, bashing a forehand long. On break point, Djokovic was moved around from one side to another, got everything back before Del Potro made the first mistake and the set was even at 5-5.
At 6-5, Del Potro fought off three set points and won a 17-minute game to hold serve and knot it at 6-6, forcing a tiebreaker. Djokovic rallied from 0-2 to win the tiebreak, as Del Potro nearly collapsing with fatigue after yet another marathon rally.
In the point of the match, Djokovic ran Del Porto ragged. Del Potro got to one drop shot, then sprinted all the way back to the baseline to retrieve Djokovic’s high lob. Several hits later, Del Potro was racing in again for another drop shot but scooped it long. Del Potro put his hands on the net, bending over, heaving for nearly 10 seconds to recover. Djokovic, meanwhile, watched the highlight replay on the big screen.
That made it 6-3. Djokovic then closed it out backhand service return winner where he just blocked the Del Potro 120-mph serve back to the open court for a winner. Del Potro shook his head in disbelief, not for the first time.