By Chris Oddo | Wednesday July 11, 2018
Novak Djokovic battled past Kei Nishikori in four sets to take his place in the Wimbledon semifinals for the first time since 2015.
Photo Source: Clive Mason/Getty
Wimbledon, England—Novak Djokovic is back in a Wimbledon semifinal for the first time in three years after his 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Kei Nishikori on Wednesday at Wimbledon.
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The pair produced some inspired tennis in patches, and some scratchy tennis at others, but it was Djokovic who took his game the highest and kept it there for the longest as he broke open a tight match by winning the final four games of the third set and then dominating a fourth set that took him to the finish line in two hours and 35 minutes.
Afterwards Djokovic was asked what it meant to him to be back in the semis of a major after a difficult two-year period that saw him struggle with injuries and form.
"I mean, obviously it's different coming into semifinals this year, taking in consideration 15 months behind, what everything that has happened, my results that were not up to the standard that I was doing before, that I was expected to play on," he said.
Not wanting to get over excited and not satisfied with being in the last four, Djokovic is talking about staying even-keeled and staying in the moment.
"In the same time, I'm trying to use the experience and memories that I had on being in final stages of Grand Slams, just take things very simple, day by day," he said. "Obviously at the end of this day, analyze things that I've done right, that maybe need some improvement, focus on the next day's practice session, recovery. Not get ahead of myself too much."
Remarkably, the victory was Djokovic’s 13th in succession against Nishikori—the Serb lost two of their first three encounters, but he has not fallen to Japan’s top player since the 2014 U.S. Open.
Djokovic wiggled out of a 2-2 0-40 scenario in the third set and seemed to gain confidence from it. He broke in the next game when he forced a Nishikori backhand error and then broke again two games later to seal the set.
There was a trade of breaks to start the fourth set with Nishikori enjoying a momentary lead, but once Djokovic broke back he really started to feel his game and broke again for 3-1 and closed the match with his seventh break as he drilled his 12th forehand winner of the contest, an inside-out beauty that landed just inside the line.
Djokovic improves to 63-10 lifetime at Wimbledon and 23-9 on the season. He reaches his 32nd Grand Slam semifinal and passes Jimmy Connors for second on the all-time list for Open Era Grand Slam semis.
Djokovic awaits the winner of today’s second semifinal on Centre Court between Rafael Nadal and Juan Martin del Potro.
Afterwards three-time champion Djokovic was asked how he'd compare his level at the current time to how he played when he won back-to-back titles at Wimbledon in 2014 and 2015.
"I feel if I have to compare the game that I've played, the level of tennis that I've had those years and today, I think it's pretty close," he said, adding: "I like the level of tennis that I'm playing on right now. I really do. I think with the performances I've had, I deserve to be in the semifinals. I don't want to stop here. I hope I can get a chance to fight for a trophy."