Djokovic Passes Tipsarevic Test

© Getty ImagesNovak Djokovic is into his fifth straight US Open semi-final.

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic passed his sternest test of the tournament so far to advance to the semi-finals of the US Open on Thursday. The Serbian had been severely tested in the first two sets against Janko Tipsarevic, before his countryman was forced to retire from his first Grand Slam quarter-final trailing 7-6(2), 6-7(3), 6-0, 3-0.

“Congratulations to Janko for a fantastic tournament and a great effort today,” said Djokovic in an on-court interview with ESPN. “He’s a great friend of mine and it was not easy to play against him. But he’s definitely playing in the best form of his life and I wish him much more success to come and I hope he recovers.”

The No. 20-ranked Tipsarevic had Djokovic in trouble when he converted his fourth break point opportunity to lead 6-5 in the first set. He failed to serve out the first set, though, and was made to pay in the subsequent tie-break as Djokovic snatched the one-set lead.

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Tipsarevic again squandered a break advantage in the second set, having led 3-1, but made a better start to the ensuing tie-break and went on to level the match as Djokovic hit a backhand long. However, from there it was one-way traffic. Djokovic reeled off nine straight games against the increasingly immobile Tipsarevic and was granted victory after three hours and 27 minutes.

“I think I sensed early in the third set, when I got a break, he lost a lot of pace on his first serve,” reflected Djokovic in his on-court interview. “He wasn’t able to move as well. It’s really unfortunate in a quarter-final of a Grand Slam.”

The 24-year-old Djokovic is through to his fifth successive US Open semi-final. He went on to reach the final for the first time in 2007, losing to Roger Federer, and again last year, falling to Rafael Nadal.

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The Belgrade native, who has a 62-2 record on the season, is bidding to become the sixth man in the Open Era to win three major titles in the same year. He defeated Andy Murray in the Australian Open final and bested Nadal at Wimbledon, his only slip-up coming against Federer in the Roland Garros semi-finals.

Djokovic played a scintillating semi-final clash with Federer at Flushing Meadows last year, and will face the Swiss in the last four again after Federer defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in straight sets in the Arthur Ashe night session.

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