It was the moment he had to stand up and prove why he is world No. 1.
Novak Djokovic did just that Saturday in the semifinals of the Rome Masters at the Foro Italico by beating Roger Federer 6-2, 7-6 (4) in a stirring encounter that almost turned into a classic toward the end of a thrilling second set.
On Monday, Djokovic will play the man he beat in the final last year, Rafael Nadal, after the Spaniard’s straight-set win over countryman David Ferrer earlier in the day.
But it was Federer who posed the first significant threat. Despite the fact that Djokovic has won the only intervening Grand Slam in Australia, it is Federer who has been the most consistently successful player on the tour since the US Open — where, memorably, Federer failed to clinch match point against the Serb in the semifinals for the second consecutive year.
Federer had usurped Nadal’s place as No. 2 in the ATP Tour rankings the week before by winning the title in Madrid on that controversial blue clay — a surface Djokovic and Nadal scorned as unplayable, as both failed to reach the semis.
So there was everything to play for as far as Djokovic was concerned — pride, probably, as much as anything else. And he did not fail. Displaying all the qualities that saw him rise to No. 1 last year, Djokovic played a nearly faultless first set, feeding off Federer’s mistakes and forcing error after error whenever rallies lengthened into more than 10 strokes.
The match seemed over when Djokovic stepped up to serve at 5-4 in the second, especially when he moved to 30-0. But the capacity crowd, which had favored the Swiss legend all night, was not about to give up and kept cheering their man. Djokovic netted a forehand and hit the next shot wide. But Federer erred and it was match point.
Federer responded by hitting a terrific forehand that clipped the line. Then two long rallies developed and, in contrast to everything that had gone before, Federer won them both as the Serb hit long on the stretch each time.
The place was a cauldron of excitement by then, and Federer, looking as calm as ever, held easily to force a tiebreaker. Amazingly, he had won 15 out of the previous 19 points. This sudden reversal of fortune would have unnerved a lot of players, but not Djokovic. He led all through the tiebreaker after Federer was forced into netting a forehand after another fantastic rally on the first point, and Djokovic clinched it 7-4.
“I knew Roger had been on an incredible streak, winning on that blue clay in Madrid which was difficult for all of us,” Djokovic said afterward in a courtside interview. “So I knew I would have to be at my best. And, in the end, I played really good. Now, I have to concentrate on Rafa, the player I have played most in my career, I think. But I am feeling good, so I have big hopes.”
