MELBOURNE, Australia — With Novak Djokovic clutching his leg and struggling to breathe, it looked like the “Big 4” semifinal lineup at the Australian Open might not come together.
Then Djokovic’s championship instincts kicked in.
The top-ranked Serb held off No. 5 David Ferrer in a second-set tiebreaker Wednesday night and then raced through the third set for a 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-1 win, setting up a rematch of last year’s final against fourth-ranked Andy Murray.
Order was restored.
For 10 days, nearly everyone at Melbourne Park has talked about the top four players and how they are on a higher level than the rest of men’s tennis. But with the other three already in the semis, Djokovic looked to be in trouble in the second set.
“No, I don’t have any physical issues,” Djokovic said, playing down any health concerns. “I feel very fit and I feel mentally, as well, very fresh.
“It’s just today I found it very difficult after a long time to breathe because I felt the whole day my nose was closed a little bit. I just wasn’t able to get enough oxygen.”
The win ensured that the top four men reached the semifinals for the third time in four Grand Slams. Murray beat Kei Nishikori 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 earlier Wednesday, while second-ranked Rafael Nadal and No. 3 Roger Federer were already preparing for their semifinal showdown, their 10th clash at a major but their first meeting at that stage of a Grand Slam since 2005.
Nadal and Federer will play at Rod Laver Arena tonight, with the Australian great in attendance — partly to celebrate 50 years since he completed his first Grand Slam of winning all four majors in 1962.
In the day session, 2008 Australian Open winner Maria Sharapova will play reigning Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova. Defending Australian champion Kim Clijsters lost to No. 3 Victoria Azarenka, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3. The three remaining can finish the tournament with the No. 1 ranking. Azarenka is the only one of the semifinalists who hasn’t won a major — the last eight women’s titles have been shared among six women.
The Associated Press
