MELBOURNE: World No 1 Novak Djokovic ended the dream run of Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev in the Australian Open semi-finals Thursday to maintain his bid for a record-extending ninth title.
The 33-year-old Serb, showing no ill-effects from an abdomen injury sustained in the third round, overwhelmed the 114th-ranked Karatsev 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 to reach his 28th Grand Slam final.
Djokovic, 34, remains on course for his 18th Grand Slam trophy, nipping at the heels of rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, who are on 20.
Djokovic, who has not been practising between matches because of his injury, said he hoped to train before the final.
“Probably more likely (to train) on Saturday,” he said. “Recovery is priority right now. I’m feeling the ball well and playing well.”
BUTTERFLY BATTLE:
Moving sharper than he has since he was injured while playing Taylor Fritz, Djokovic lifted his intensity in his best performance of the tournament.
Karatsev, however, was not disgraced after becoming the first man in the Open era to reach a semi-final on his Grand Slam debut, and just the second qualifier to do so at the Australian Open after Bob Giltinan in 1977.
His magical run included wins over eighth seed Diego Schwartzmann, 20th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime and 18th seed Grigor Dimitrov, but came up short against the ultimate test.
A wary Djokovic had predicted Karatsev would come out aggressively and he proved right with the underdog undaunted in a free-wheeling approach.
Aside from being briefly menaced by a butterfly as he prepared to serve, Djokovic was not rattled and his defensive mastery suffocated Karatsev in the eighth game.
He subsequently clinched the first set with an ace and then put the foot down to break to love.
Karatsev would not go away, almost wiping away Djokovic’s advantage before the eight-time champion held serve in a see-sawing 10th game and celebrated with gusto.
Despite some service struggles, Djokovic continued was not to be denied to record his first straight-sets victory since an opening-round romp against Jeremy Chardy.
Journeyman Karatsev, who spent a chunk of his youth in Israel, Germany and Spain, and had failed on nine previous occasions to qualify for a Grand Slam tournament, is set to rocket to 42 on the ATP rankings.
