Djokovic, Serena dominate

Friday, 5 September 2014 01:42 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

REUTERS: World number one Novak Djokovic wore down his old foe Andy Murray in a typically gruelling encounter under the lights at Flushing Meadows on Wednesday to reach the semi-finals of the US Open. In a repeat of the 2012 final, which Murray won, the pair combined for some stunning long rallies before Djokovic pulled away for a 7-6 (1) 6-7 6-2 6-4 victory to set up a semi-final against Kei Nishikori of Japan. Murray ended the match struggling a little with his movement and required a hot compress for his back midway through the fourth set. But he produced arguably his best tennis since having back surgery 11 months ago and gave the top seed a real scare. In the end, the Scot was left to rue a series of missed break point chances, taking just four of 16 in all, while Djokovic was successful on seven out of 10. Two-times defending champion Serena Williams, in her black and white leopard dress, started quietly before roaring past 11th seed Flavia Pennetta 6-3 6-2 to reach the semi-finals of the US Open on Wednesday. The world number one lost her first two service games to Pennetta to fall behind 3-0 before snapping to attention and rattling off the next six games to claim the first set. Determined to make up for a disappointing grand slam season in which she failed to reach the quarter-finals in any of the three previous majors, Williams broke her fellow 32-year-old in the fifth and seventh games to advance in 63 minutes. The top seed will meet Russian 17th seed Ekaterina Makarova, who reached her first grand slam semi-final with a 6-4 6-2 victory over 16th seed Victoria Azarenka, runner-up to Williams in the last two Opens. A spate of upsets on the women’s side have left Williams as the only one of the top nine seeds still playing, but the top seed said Makarova, China’s unseeded Peng Shuai and 10th seed Caroline Wozniacki were well deserving semi-finalists.