Second seed Roger Federer has set a clash against Novak Djokovic in what will be his first US Open final in six years after defeating countryman Stan Wawrinka 6-4, 6-3, 6-1 in 1 hour and 32 minutes.
It will be Federer and Djokovic's 42nd meeting, and the World No. 1 will be seeking to avenge his straight sets loss in Cincinnati last month.
“I’m very happy, it’s been a great tournament so far,” Federer said in an on-court interview with ESPN. “I tried very hard in the last six years to get to another final, I came close a few times and tonight it worked against Stan, who also played a good tournament.”
The second seed described his current form as “definitely very good, maybe my best.” “I’m serving very well, playing positive tennis. I am going for my shots and I’d love [everything] to work just one more time this year.”
The semi-final marked the Swiss pair's 20th career meeting, sixth at a Grand Slam and first at the US Open. Five-time champion Federer extended his FedEx ATP Head2Head lead over Wawrinka to 17-3 and his record at majors against the younger Swiss is now 5-1.
Federer saved a break point in the second game and proceeded to break Wawrinka in the following game after the 30-year-old Swiss sent a backhand long. The second-seeded Federer saved three more break points from 3-2 0/40, sealing the game with an ace. He converted his second set point as a Wawrinka forehand sailed long.
In the second set, Wawrinka found his first serve and saved four break points in the fifth game, before being broken to love in the seventh. He gave up the second set after sending a forehand long. Federer broke twice in the third set before converting his second match point with his 10th ace of the night.Federer’s 52 games lost this year at Flushing Meadows ties the fewest he’s dropped en route to a Grand Slam final. Before the 2006 Wimbledon final he had also lost 52 games. The Swiss No. 1 is also on a 28-set winning streak, which began in Cincinnati, the third-longest of his career.
The 34-year-old Federer, who is the oldest Grand Slam semi-finalist since Jonas Bjorkman reached the final four at Wimbledon in 2006, is also the oldest Open Era Grand Slam finalist since Andre Agassi, then 35, reached the final at Flushing Meadows in 2005. He'll next meet top seed Novak Djokovic, over whom he has a 21-20 FedEx ATP Head2Head lead.
Federer said both he and Djokovic don't need to adjust their games before they battle. "It's just a straight shootout, and I think that's the cool thing about our rivalry. It's very athletic, we both can handle whatever we present to one another and I think our matches [are] very even," said the 17-time major winner, adding that if the crowd is in his favor, it could give him both energy and momentum. "That could swing the match a little bit, but other than that, obviously Novak is a great player...you've got to play well to beat him, there is no question about that."
Should Federer defeat Djokovic in straight sets on Sunday, it would mark his third Grand Slam title without dropping a set, matching his feats at the 2007 Australian Open and 2006 Wimbledon. He also reached the final of Wimbledon in 2008 without losing a set, but lost that encounter to Rafael Nadal.
atpworldtour.com
That's what we call absolute domination.
Has not lost a set yet.
Something tells me Roger is ready for Novak!. Bring home #18 Rog!.
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