Wimbledon: Djokovic keeps ‘commitment’ to advance

Serb clinches 13th consecutive Grand Slam last-4 spot after defeating Berdych.


Afp July 03, 2013
The Wimbledon courts have attracted criticism after several high-profile casualties and injuries with Djokovic’s footing raising questions once again. PHOTO: AFP

LONDON: Novak Djokovic will face Juan Martin del Potro in the Wimbledon semi-finals after the world number one clinched his 13th consecutive Grand Slam last-four spot with a 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, 6-3 victory over Tomas Berdych yesterday.

Djokovic is yet to drop a set in his five matches at this year’s tournament and the 2011 champion is now just two wins away from lifting the All England Club trophy for the second time.

“It was a close match, it could have gone either way,” said Djokovic. “He was a double-break up in the second set. I don’t know how I got out of that, but I was serving and returning well.



“I have a commitment to go far in this tournament. I am playing some of my best tennis on grass even though it’s not my preferred surface.”

Berdych said: “I can play better than I played today. If you give him too much then it’s a lot.”

Meanwhile, Del Potro beat Spanish fourth-seed David Ferrer 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) after surviving a nasty fall in the opening game, which left the Argentine eighth seed needing several minutes of treatment on a left knee already heavily bandaged.

BOn Centre Court, Del Potro, 24, was clearly struggling to move at times, but he gritted his teeth through two hours and 16 minutes of gruelling action, unloading 42 winners and 12 aces to finally subdue the battling Spaniard. It will be Del Potro’s first Grand Slam semi-final appearance since his breakthrough triumph at the US Open four years ago.

Del Potro is just the second Argentine man to feature in the Wimbledon semi-finals, following in the footsteps of David Nalbandian in 2002.

Asked how close he was to pulling out, Del Potro said, “Really close because I felt a lot of pain in the beginning of the match. It was exactly the same like I did before.

“It’s really, really painful. I twisted my knee once again but the doctor gave me some magic pills so I could finish the match and I’m so glad to go through.”

On the other hand, Ferrer revealed he had been struggling with an ankle injury before the match.

“I wasn’t able to warm-up properly but it was fine during the match,” said Ferrer.

“I don’t think his injury affected him. He was more focused and aggressive, served really well and deserved to win.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 4th, 2013.

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