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2021 Australian Open: Peerless Djokovic ends Karatsev dream to reach final

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/tvpatrol/02/16/djokovic.jpg"/><figcaption>Serbia&#x27;s Novak Djokovic celebrates after winning his semi final match against Russia&#x27;s Aslan Karatsev. <em>REUTERS/Jaimi Joy</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>World number one Novak Djokovic ended the dream run of Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev in the Australian Open semi-finals Thursday to maintain his bid for a record-extending ninth title. </p><p>The 33-year-old Serb, showing no ill-effects from an abdomen injury sustained in the third round, overwhelmed the 114th-ranked Karatsev 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 to reach his 28th Grand Slam final.</p><p>&quot;This is the best I&#x27;ve felt in the entire tournament,&quot; said Djokovic, who hit 30 winners and 17 aces.</p><p>&quot;I could swing through the ball. No pain. The best match so far.&quot;</p><p>Djokovic, 34, remains on course for his 18th Grand Slam trophy, nipping at the heels of rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, who are on 20.</p><p>In his way will be either fourth seed Daniil Medvedev or Nadal&#x27;s conqueror Stefanos Tsitispas, the fifth seed, a clash Djokovic said he was eagerly anticipating.</p><p>&quot;I&#x27;m going to take the popcorn and enjoy it,&quot; he said. &quot;I absolutely have zero preference.</p><p>&quot;I thought Stefanos did incredibly well to hang in there because Rafa was playing amazing,&quot; added Djokovic.</p><p>&quot;Medvedev is the guy. He is playing at the highest level the last three months.&quot;</p><p>Djokovic, who hasn&#x27;t been practising between matches because of his injury, said he hoped to train before the final.</p><p>&quot;Probably more likely (to train) on Saturday,&quot; he said. &quot;Recovery is priority right now. I&#x27;m feeling the ball well and playing well.&quot; </p><p>- Butterfly battle -<br/>Moving sharper than he has since he was injured while playing Taylor Fritz, Djokovic lifted his intensity in his best performance of the tournament.</p><p>Karatsev, however, wasn&#x27;t disgraced after becoming the first man in the Open era to reach a semi-final on his Grand Slam debut, and just the second qualifier to do so at the Australian Open after Bob Giltinan in 1977. </p><p>His magical run included wins over eighth seed Diego Schwartzmann, 20th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime and 18th seed Grigor Dimitrov, but came up short against the ultimate test. </p><p>A wary Djokovic had predicted Karatsev would come out aggressively and he proved right with the underdog undaunted in a free-wheeling approach. </p><p>Aside from being briefly menaced by a butterfly as he prepared to serve, Djokovic wasn&#x27;t rattled and his defensive mastery suffocated Karatsev in the eighth game.</p><p>He subsequently clinched the first set with an ace and then put the foot down to break to love.</p><p>Karatsev wouldn&#x27;t go away, almost wiping away Djokovic&#x27;s advantage before the eight-time champion held serve in a see-sawing 10th game and celebrated with gusto.</p><p>Despite some service struggles, Djokovic continued was not to be denied to record his first straight-sets victory since an opening-round romp against Jeremy Chardy.</p><p>Journeyman Karatsev, who spent a chunk of his youth in Israel, Germany and Spain, and had failed on nine previous occasions to qualify for a Grand Slam tournament, is set to rocket to 42 on the ATP rankings.</p><div><strong>tl/th</strong></div><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/02/18/21/tennis-after-williams-falls-brady-flies-us-flag-to-reach-final">Tennis: After Williams falls, Brady flies US flag to reach final</a></li></ul><div><strong>FROM THE ARCHIVES</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GIhWxqbsq4o?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>World number one Novak Djokovic ended the dream run of Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev in the Australian Open semi-finals Thursday to maintain his bid for a record-extending ninth title. </p>

World number one Novak Djokovic ended the dream run of Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev in the Australian Open semi-finals Thursday to maintain his bid for a record-extending ninth title.