Australian Open: Novak Djokovic knocks Roger Federer out in four sets

The first men’s semifinal between defending champion Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer will open the night session Thursday.

For Federer, his wait for an 18th continues and despite playing brilliantly against the rest of the field, it may never end while he keeps running into Djokovic, who has now won their last four grand slam meetings.

And in improving to 23-22 lifetime against the 34-year-old Federer, Djokovic also now possesses a winning record against all three of his fellow “Big Four” members.

Roger Federer has come back to win the third set against Novak Djokovic 6-3 in their semifinal at Melbourne Park.

Rod Laver on Friday urged Novak Djokovic to go all-out for the calendar-year Grand Slam – a feat not achieved in men’s tennis since the Australian legend last won it in 1969.

Djokovic is repeatedly mentioned when pondering the game’s best returners and Federer was especially troubled the first two sets.

Williams finished with eight aces for the match – after none in the first set – and has dropped only 26 games in six rounds in a dominating run that included a 6-4, 6-1 win over No. 5 Maria Sharapova in the quarterfinals, a rematch of the 2015 final.

One crucial moment came at 2-2 in the second-set tiebreaker, when Murray stopped in the middle of a second serve to catch a white feather as it floated to the ground – and then double-faulted, giving Djokovic an opening that he bolted through.

Djokovic, now into his sixth Australian final – he’s won all five previous – held his first service game at love and broke Federer in the second.

But the top-ranked Djokovic then raced to 5-1 lead and after Federer held serve to make the score 5-2, Djokovic served out the last game without dropping a point.

Djokovic’s tennis in the opening set was as good as it gets.

Storming to a two-set lead within an hour, Djokovic appeared destined to complete a stinging humiliation but the net-rushing Federer responded brilliantly in the third as a partisan crowd roared him on at a flood-lit Rod Laver Arena.

“It’s no secret we know how we play against each other”. They’ll play the seventh-seeded team of Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic. “He can get one or two sets all of a sudden… and it’s tough to get back into it”.

She clinched the match in 1 hour, 22 minutes on her serve when Konta’s backhand went long – her 22nd unforced error of the set.

“This has been the first Grand Slam that I won back in 2008”, Djokovic said.

Kerber will play Serena Williams in the final on Saturday.

Williams is the overwhelming favorite, and not just based on recent form.

The second set was closer, with Radwanska holding serve three times and breaking Serena’s powerful serve once.

There was a brief delay when rain showers hit the court with the roof open before the 12th game.

Kerber has one win in six matches against Williams – in 2012.

The world No. 1 had outrun, outhit and outplayed Federer in every facet of the game.

“I think the experience of playing so many matches against these guys, being on the big stage, knowing what’s at stake, knowing the importance and value of these tournaments and fighting for the trophy”.

Murray and Soares will play the winners of a later semifinal Thursday between Daniel Nestor and Radek Stepanek and Pablo Cuevas and Marcel Granollers in Saturday’s final.

Novak Djokovic is expecting a fierce battle with an old friend and familiar protagonist when he makes a bid for history in the Australian Open final against Andy Murray on Sunday.

Despite her 21 major titles and all her success, it is a loss that is inspiring Williams in this tournament. Konta was the first British woman since 1983 to reach a major semifinal.

A few times it’s happened in the Australian Open semifinals.