Djokovic To Battle Giant-killer Bellucci

© AFP/Getty ImagesThomaz Bellucci delights after reaching his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semi-final.

Novak Djokovic continued his blazing start to the 2011 ATP World Tour season when he toughed out a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win Friday over in-form Spaniard David Ferrer to reach the semi-finals of the Mutua Madrid Open. The second-seeded Serb improved to 30-0 on the season with his 32nd consecutive match win, dating back to last year’s Davis Cup final. “I needed to work hard and I was in a good position at a set and a break up but I started playing too defensive,” assessed Djokovic. “He got into the match. It was really close in the third. I got the crucial break.”

The World No. 2 improved to 6-4 against Ferrer, but notched his first win in four meetings on clay. “I was aware of the quality of my opponent today and the fact that I never won against him on clay,” Djokovic said.

“I needed to be emotionally stable and handle in the best possible way because obviously I had to stay focused and work hard and that crowd was behind him which was expected. I wanted to use the opportunity and that’s what I did.”

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Ferrer certainly gave Djokovic a run for his money and was satisfied with his performance, despite the outcome. “I think it was a good match from my side,” Ferrer said.

“I tried everything. It’s a pity that I had those two faults with a break. Maybe it could have been a little bit more difficult for him but Novak is a player that has a lot of various ways to play and with his serves, he won more free points than me.”

Djokovic’s perfect 30-0 record is the third longest winning streak to start a season since 1980, behind John McEnroe (42 in 1984) and Bjorn Borg (31 in 1980).

In Saturday’s semi-final Djokovic will play unseeded Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci, who upset No. 7 seed Tomas Berdych.  The winner of Djokovic and Bellucci will play either World No. 1 Rafael Nadal or 16-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer in the final. “He’s a clay court specialist with surprising results beating a couple of seeded players with some great wins. It’ll be interesting,” said Djokovic.

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Bellucci came into Madrid having posted his best results of the season on clay, with a semi-final showing in Acapulco (l. to Almagro) and quarter-final efforts in Santiago (l. to Fognini), Costa do Sauipe (l. to Chela) and last week in Estoril (l. to Cuevas). Having improved to a 16-10 match record on the season, he is now through to his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semi-final.

"I think I can beat any player," declared Bellucci. "Djokovic and Ferrer are very good players and they are in a very good moment for themselves. They are losing very few matches, but they are not invincible, they can also lose. The most important thing is that I continue playing like I have been and with a lot of concentration and I manage to play my best."