NEW YORK Novak Djokovic heard what Andy Roddick said about him and didn't like it one bit.
Still, as much motivation as Djokovic might have had, and as well as he played in their U.S. Open quarterfinal Thursday night, Roddick's own uncharacteristic serving miscues had a lot to do with the 2003 champion's 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5) loss.
Two points from forcing a fifth set at 5-4 in the fourth, Roddick double-faulted twice in a row and was broken for the fifth time – twice more than he lost serve in his first four matches combined.
In Djokovic's prior match, a five-set ordeal Tuesday against No. 15 Tommy Robredo, the reigning Australian Open champion called for the trainer more than once as he dealt with hip, ankle, stomach and breathing issues.
Asked then about Djokovic's problems, Roddick kidded around, checking whether the list shouldn't also include bird flu, anthrax, SARS and a common cold and said: “He's either quick to call a trainer or he's the most courageous guy of all time.”
Roddick also said in an on-court interview that day: “I've got to feel good. He's got about 16 injuries right now.”
After beating Roddick, ending the match with a 125 mph serve that drew a long return, Djokovic made reference to those comments.
“That's not nice anyhow to say in front of this crowd that I have 16 injuries and that I'm faking,” Djokovic said during a postmatch interview that drew boos from the spectators in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“They're already against me, because they think I'm faking everything.”
The third-seeded Djokovic advanced to a semifinal meeting against Roger Federer.
It's a rematch of last year's U.S. Open final, which Federer won for his fourth consecutive title at Flushing Meadows.
Federer beat qualifier Gilles Muller 7-6 (5), 6-4, 7-6 (5) Thursday, extending his own record by reaching the semifinals at an 18th consecutive Grand Slam tournament.
Djokovic is 2-6 against Federer and called him the “absolute favorite.”
Federer advances through adversity
Federer hasn't lost at the U.S. Open since the fourth round in 2003.
Which means, even in a down year during which he hasn't won a Grand Slam title and fell out of the No. 1 spot on the men's tour, he's still the one to beat here.
Federer wasn't the magician on court on Thursday. He wasn't toying with Muller the way he always seemed to with the lesser opponents in the matches leading up to the final weekend.
But Federer's win in a quarterfinal match was still his 33rd straight U.S. Open victory, despite it seeming tougher than it should have been.
As he did after a five-set win over Ivan Andreev in the fourth round, Federer let some emotions out during the match with Muller, who came through qualifying, rallied to win consecutive matches after being down two sets and made the second week of a Grand Slam for the first time in his incredibly unheralded career.
“I'm in good spirits at the moment because the Olympic gold (in doubles) definitely helped to sort of, not be more happy on the court, but maybe more outgoing,” Federer said.
“I guess, for a while I put my head down in the matches and just tried to keep that unbelievable run I had going instead of trying to disturb myself with any sort of reactions. Maybe it's a time where I can show a little bit more.”
That comes after his 12 majors-in-five-years run came to a halt this year, thanks to top seed Rafael Nadal at the French Open and Wimbledon and Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open. Federer has kept one amazing streak intact through what has been his disappointing 2008: He's made a record 18 consecutive Grand Slam semifinals; no other player ever made more than 10 in a row.
“That's a huge streak for such a long time,” he said. “I'm really happy to keep it alive and give myself an opportunity again.”
Muller, the 25-year-old from Luxembourg, didn't threaten Federer too much — Muller had two break points all match, and converted neither of them — but did plenty of slugging and hanging around, especially in the first set.
Serving at 5-6, Muller staved off five set points to force the tiebreaker; in the third, Muller took a 5-2 lead in that tiebreak, only to have Federer reel off the last five points for the match.
Federer said afterward he was mentally preparing himself to go to a fourth set, which doesn't sound like the Federer of old.
“I've always been very realistic, where I'm at in the match, and today was tough,” he said. “It didn't look like I was going to win that third-set tiebreaker, so that's why I was real excited after I was able to.”
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