TENNIS/US Open Championships:Around six months ago Andy Murray and Serbia's Novak Djokovic were running neck and neck, two young men heading for the top of men's tennis, and making Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal take the occasional glance backwards. In Indian Wells and Key Biscayne, Djokovic beat Murray twice in respective Masters Series semi-finals and then, after the Scot's wrist had popped in Hamburg, accelerated away to establish himself as the world number three.
This was underlined with his 6-4, 7-6, 6-1 win over Spain's Carlos Moya, the former French Open champion, which propelled him to his third successive grand slam semi-final. At Roland Garros and Wimbledon he lost to Nadal. Today he faces another Spaniard, David Ferrer, the number 15 seed who beat Nadal here, with Djokovic having high hopes of reaching his first major final. And all this at the age of 20, one week younger than Murray, who has yet to get beyond the last 16 of a slam.
"It's very good to win in three sets," Djokovic said. "He (Moya) had a great tournament, but luckily I played my best tennis in the second-set tie-break. Third set, I played really well."
It has been a remarkable rise by the Serb, who in conjunction with Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic, both women's top-five players, has brought his country into the world's sporting spotlight, with all three displaying an engaging attitude to couple with their obvious talent. After he had defeated Moya, Djokovic was persuaded to perform imitations of both Maria Sharapova and Nadal, which delighted the night crowd at Flushing Meadows.
"I enjoy it," Djokovic said. "I'm really happy that people accept it in a positive way. I'm not trying to make fun of Maria or Rafa. I'm just trying to make the people laugh and have a good time, to enjoy the tennis on and off the court. One of the best feelings I ever had in my life is playing here. It's amazing."
It seems unlikely that Djokovic would ever be asked for a repeat performance at the All England Club, but here is a young man who recognises that the US Open is a heady amalgam of sport, fashion and showbiz, and he has readily embraced all its varied strands.
The only doubts surrounding Djokovic at this stage of his nascent career centre on the occasional physical problems he has had during grand slams, such as when he was forced to retire against Nadal at Wimbledon this year and at Roland Garros the year before. At 6ft 2in and around 12st 9lb, he still has some growing to do and some extra power to acquire, while all players who reach the last four here face the daunting prospect of playing the semi-finals and the final back-to-back. "I think that if there is one player who can be compared to Rafa and Roger it is him," said Moya. "He has a lot of potential to become the world number one."
It is a view echoed around the lockerroom, and one of which Djokovic is aware. "I've had a lot of expectations before the start of this tournament," he said. "Everyone was predicting I was going to be in the semi-finals. It was a lot of pressure." From now on it will not get any less, but this young man already has the look of a champion.
Federer meets fourth-seeded Nikolay Davydenko for the third time in the last five majors in the other semi-final today. But he does not expect to get an easy ride this time. "I think he's a fantastic player," Federer said. "(He's) totally underrated - still sometimes in the media. Even though I have a great record against him, I'm aware of his ability."
Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova overcame an early bout of nerves to beat compatriot Anna Chakvetadze 3-6 6-1 6-1 and reach today's women's final. Kuznetsova lost her serve four times and had 21 errors in a poor opening set but won 12 of the last 13 games to close out the 96-minute match.
Men's Singles: Quarter-final: (3) Novak Djokovic (Ser) bt (17) Carlos Moya (Spa) 6-4 7-6 (9-7) 6-1.
Men's Doubles: Final: (10) Simon Aspelin (Swe) and Julian Knowle (Aut) bt (9) Lukas Dlouhy (Cze) and Pavel Vizner (Cze) 7-5 6-4.
Mixed Doubles: Final: Victoria Azarenka (Blr) and Max Mirnyi (Blr) bt Meghann Shaughnessy (USA) and Leander Paes (Ind) 6-4 7-6 (8-6).
Women's singles: Semi-final: (4) Svetlana Kuznetsova (Rus) bt (6) Anna Chakvetadze (Rus) 3-6 6-1 6-1.
