By Chris Oddo | Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Novak Djokovic eased past Milos Raonic and into his sixth career Roland Garros semifinal with a 7-5, 7-6(5), 6-4 victory on Tuesday. Next up? Ernests Gulbis.
Photo Source: AFP
Novak Djokovic was rock-solid all day, and amazing when he had to be, taking down Canadian hope Milos Raonic, 7-5, 7-6(5), 6-4, to reach his sixth career Roland Garros semifinal on Tuesday in Paris.
More: Gulbis Hammers His Way Past Berdych in Paris
Only two players (Rafael Nadal, 8, and Roger Federer, 7) have reached the last four of tennis’s clay-court major more times, and Djokovic showed his experience on the terre battue against the relatively green Raonic, patiently picking apart the hard-serving Canadian’s game until opportunities opened up for him.
Those opportunities wouldn’t come easy.
"When he's on it's very difficult to do anything except be mentally strong and consistent and try to wait for the opportunities," Djokovic said of Raonic, who notched 21 aces on the day. "And when they're presented you better use them."
Djokovic would have to save a break point early before he earned his first break point—actually a set point—with Raonic serving at 4-5. The man they call simply “the Missile” would bomb his way out of danger on that occasion, but two games later he yielded when Djokovic made a great pickup of a huge serve down the T, and on his next shot sent a dipping return that Raonic volleyed wide to hand Djokovic the opener.
"It was important to get the first set under my belt," said Djokovic. "All in all even though it was a straight-sets win a few points here and there decided the winner."
After a windowless second set that saw no break points by either player, Djokovic would make his mark in the tiebreaker, cashing in on his second set point with a gorgeous serve out wide in the add court that Raonic could only nudge winde into the tram lines.
Djokovic would ride that momentum all the way out to a double-break lead in the third set, as Raonic, who had done so well to hang so close with the world No. 2, seemed to lose his sense of direction for a spell. But the Canadian, playing in his first Grand Slam quarterfinal, would show his true colors down the stretch, notching a break to get to 5-3 then holding to force Djokovic to serve it out at 5-4.
The Serb, who only faced two break points all afternoon while winning 74 percent of his second-serve points, would hold to 15 to close affairs in two hours and 22 minutes.
The victory sends Djokovic into his 22nd career Grand Slam major semifinal, which temporarily ties him with Rafael Nadal for 6th all-time.
Awaiting Djokovic next will be surprise semifinalist Ernests Gulbis. The 25-year-old longtime underachiever took down Tomas Berdych in straight sets to reach his first career major semifinal on Tuesday.
Djokovic holds a 4-1 career advantage against Gulbis but they have not met since 2011.