Defending champion Novak Djokovic set up a repeat of last year's Australian Open final with Andy Murray Wednesday, outlasting David Ferrer to ensure the "Big Four" all reached the semis. The world number one was worked hard by the fifth-seeded Spaniard, with the first two sets taking well over two hours but the Serb produced the goods when it mattered, stepping up his game to seal a 6-4, 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 victory.
In Friday's semi-final he will face Murray, who enjoyed a smooth passage through to the last four, easing past rising Japanese star Kei Nishikori, 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 on a sun-baked Rod Laver Arena. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will clash Thursday in the other half of the draw with as the top four continue to exert an iron grip on the sport's major titles.
Djokovic, pushed to four sets by Australian veteran Lleyton Hewitt in the fourth round, quickly found himself enmeshed in another physically draining battle as tenacious Ferrer hunted down every ball. The Serb earned a crucial service break in the fifth game but had to wait nearly an hour to seal a first set full of punishing rallies.
Looking tired, Djokovic produced a stunning blind, backhand winner at full stretch from the back of the court early in the second, breaking in the first game. The Serb suddenly looked in trouble when he grimaced in pain and clutched his left hamstring as Ferrer levelled at 2-2, but he did not appear to be restricted, going on to take the tiebreak and seize a two set lead.
Djokovic shook off his discomfort and became more aggressive in the third set, breaking twice as Ferrer struggled to live with the greater intensity. "Already after a couple of games I was feeling it was going to be a long match," Djokovic said.
"There was a big mental advantage to getting two sets up," he said, adding that he had stepped up his aggression as the match wore on. Djokovic will face a confident Murray who says he is producing his best tennis on the game's biggest stages after reaching his fifth consecutive grand slam semi-final. In an entertaining match lasting 2hr 12min, Nishikori wowed the crowd with a between-the-legs trick shot but could not produce the tennis to seriously trouble the British number one.