Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates his three-set victory over Nikolay Davydenko of Russia in their semi-final match at the Open, yesterday. The defending champion won 7-5, 6-1, 7-5.
While Djokovic will be aiming for his first major title, Federer will be trying to tie Roy Emerson for second in tennis history behind Pete Sampras' 14.
Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates his three-set victory over David Ferrer of Spain during their semi-final, yesterday. Djokovic won 6-4, 6-4, 6-3. - AP Photos
NEW YORK (AP):
ROGER FEDERER moved within one victory of his fourth straight United States Open title, beating number four Nikolay Davydenko 7-5, 6-1, 7-5, yesterday, to stretch his winning streak at Flushing Meadows to 26 matches.
Federer, who will be seeking to become the first man to win four consecutive U.S. championships since Bill Tilden in 1925, will face number three Novak Djokovic, who earlier in the day overcame the late summer heat and humidity of New York City to beat 15th-seeded David Ferrer 6-4, 6-4, 6-3.
"I'm always very well-prepared for the majors. I know what it takes," Federer said. "When the second week comes around, I play my best."
In today's championship match, Federer will face the only man to beat him over the past three months.
"I guess the best players of the summer are in the final," said Fed-erer, all too aware that he lost to Djokovic at a hardcourt event in Montreal in early August.
That was Djo-kovic's big break-through: he also beat Rafael Nadal and Andy Roddick there, becoming the first man in 13 years to beat numbers one to three in the rankings at a single tournament.
While Djokovic will be aiming for his first major title, Federer will be trying to tie Roy Emerson for second in tennis history behind Pete Sampras' 14. The Swiss will also be playing in his 10 consecutive Grand Slam final.
"I need to believe in myself, because, otherwise, I wouldn't get the positive outcome," Djokovic said. "I don't want to go out tomorrow and try to do my best or try to perform well. No, I'll go tomorrow to try to win."
With the temperature passing 30 degrees Celsius (near 90 degrees) semi-final, Djokovic was too spent afterwards to reprise the sort of act he performed after winning in the quarter-finals, when he drew guffaws by doing spot-on imitations of Maria Sharapova and Nadal.
"The last two days, the people were more congratulating me for the impressions than for my tennis," Djokovic said. "I was wondering, 'Guys, am I here for the impersonation, entertaining - or to play tennis?"'
The 20-year-old Djokovic is the youngest men's finalist at Flushing Meadows since Pete Sampras was 19 when he won the 1990 title. Djoko-vic is also the first man from Serbia to get to a major final.
There were moments early on when it looked as if Djokovic might actually face Davydenko, who came in with an 0-9 record against Federer in their previous meetings.
Davydenko, who expects to be questioned soon in con-nection with an ATP gambling probe, won the coin toss and elected to receive at the start, a rare sight. Davydenko came in having won 50 per cent of his return games during the U.S. Open, and he promptly broke Federer to begin the match.
Federer was broken a total of two times through five matches - and then five times by Davydenko. In the opening set, 10 points lasted at least 10 strokes - and Davydenko won seven.
Furious strokes
Davydenko went ahead 3-1 and was one point away from going up 4-1, but Federer saved a break point by ending an 11-stroke exchange with a backhand winner down the line. Federer converted his fifth break point to even things at three-all, getting back a 203 kph (126mph) serve - Davydenko's fastest of the day - and then smacking a forehand winner.
When Federer served for the first set at 5-3, though, Davydenko saved one set point with a return winner, then broke with a crosscourt forehand.
They appeared headed to a tiebreaker, but Federer broke back to end the set with an angled forehand volley. It was the first set lost by Davydenko all tournament.
In the third set, Davydenko twice held a set point but couldn't convert either, and as Federer won the last four games, he began punctuating shots with shouts of "Yes!" or "Come on!" when winners left his racquet.
It all left Davydenko in a daze, and he said: "I don't know how it's possible," for Federer to come up with some of those strokes.
