By Chris Oddo | Thursday, January 28, 2016
Novak Djokovic was dominant early and unflappable late during his four-set victory over Roger Federer in Melbourne.
For two sets, Novak Djokovic was as good as he could possibly be, and for two more he fought tooth and nail with a resurgent Roger Federer on Thursday night in Melbourne. It all added up to a statement victory for the world No. 1, and a prideful loss for the Swiss maestro.
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Djokovic’s 6-1, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 victory over Federer places the Serb in his fifth consecutive Grand Slam final and ties him with Ivan Lendl for third on the all-time major final list with 19. And, perhaps most important, it leaves him one step from an eleventh Grand Slam title.
“I played unbelievable first two sets, but that’s what is necessary against Roger,” Djokovic said. “I came up with the right intensity, great concentration and I executed everything perfectly.”
Djokovic’s breathtaking form took Federer aback from the start. The Serb was relentless, efficient, and intense. He won 12 of the first 14 points to stake himself to a 3-0 lead and quickly nabbed the double break lead soon thereafter.
As a reeling Federer struggled to quicken his pace and match Djokovic, the Serb just kept hammering away, and soon he had another double-break lead in set two before he closed it out with ease.
Djokovic, who has now reached 17 straight finals, will face either Andy Murray or Milos Raonic in the final. The five-time Australian Open champion credited his struggles in the fourth round against Gilles Simon for helping him hone his focus for his 45th career meeting with Federer. “It was a really tough match and it made me think afterwards about what I need to do to get better,” said Djokovic. “You play a lot of mind games with yourself, and it’s important to always believe that you can perform your best. It’s important that at the end of the day your convictions are stronger than your doubts.”
Federer would answer the bell, seemingly against the odds, to match Djokovic in the third set. After winning just five of 19 second-serve points in the first two sets, he managed to win 11 of 15 in set three. The Swiss pushed and broke through on his fourth break point of the sixth game to claim a 4-2 lead and he held on in his next two service games to serve out the set.
“It's disappointing, but at the same time I'm going deep in slams right now,” Federer told reporters after the match. “I'm having great runs. I thought I had a tough draw here, so I'm actually pleased where my level's at the beginning of the season.”
In the fourth set Federer stayed in step with Djokovic before falling behind 0-30 while serving at 3-4. After winning the next point, Federer would pull off the point of the tournament, chasing down a lob before scampering to return a Djokovic smash. Then, just when it looked like the Serb had made the put-away volley, Federer ran down the backhand and ripped it down the line for a clean winner.
The shot drew a loud roar from the crowd, but Federer couldn’t make good on the momentum. He dropped the final two points to get broken (the first a very unlucky let cord that favored Djokovic), then Djokovic held to love to close him out.
“It was a nice point and great ovation,” Federer said of the play. “I was very happy I got as much support as I did. It was a cool moment. I wish I was in a better spot in the result. But nevertheless, I'm happy to pull those shots off. Of course.”
In the end, even Federer’s most brilliant shotmaking could not outshine the perpetual pulse and fervor of Djokovic’s form. The world No. 1 was flawless for two sets, but even when his level slipped in sets three and four, his tennis was sublime. If he can produce another performance in the same vein as Thursday’s it will be difficult to imagine any other player on the podium after the final on Sunday in Melbourne.
Djokovic, who is bidding for a record sixth Australian Open title, now owns the advantage in his rivalries with Federer (23-22) and Rafael Nadal (24-23) for the first time. He has also won 16 of his last 17 against Top-10 opposition.
Blessed with all the tools for domination, Djokovic knows his biggest challenge is to channel his best tennis when the moment calls for it. He did it on Thursday with aplomb, and showed every sign that he’ll be ready to do the same in the final.
“In the end of the day you are battling yourself the most,” he said, “There are so many players out there that are hitting the ball well. Whether or not you're able to cope with the pressure in these particular moments, fighting against some of the best players in the world for the major trophy. ... of course there's a lot at stake. Emotions are going up and down. It's important to keep it together.”