Djokovic beats Dimitrov to progress to Wimbledon final

Saturday, 5 July 2014 01:42 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates defeating Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria in their men’s singles semi-final tennis match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, in London 4 July, 2014. REUTERS

LONDON (Reuters):Top seed Novak Djokovic halted the grasscourt charge of talented Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov on Friday, beating the 11th seed 6-4 3-6 7-6(2) 7-6(7) in an exhilarating see-saw contest to reach the Wimbledon final. The six-times grand slam champion had to draw on all the experience gleaned in 23 major semi-finals to get the better of 23-year-old Dimitrov, who was on a roll after winning the pre-Wimbledon tournament at Queen’s Club and downing third-seeded champion Andy Murray in the quarter-finals. Both players slipped and slid along the dusty Centre Court baselines, frequently losing their footing. But it was Djokovic who found the extra grit to prevail, saving a set point in the ninth game of the fourth set and three in the tiebreak before taking the match with a crosscourt forehand winner.