Djokovic v Ferrer as it happened

US Open, Flushing Meadows

Semi-final result:

N DJOKOVIC (Ser) bt D FERRER (Spa)

6-4 6-4 6-3

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By Piers Newbery

606: DEBATE Your thoughts on the men's semi-finals

Third set:

Djokovic 6-3 Ferrer
Djokovic crosses himself and looks to the heavens after another perfect drop shot gets him to 30-30 and just two points from a Grand Slam final. Moments later, a rush to the net gets him to deuce, another to match point... and with a brilliant drop volley he's done it!

Djokovic 5-3 Ferrer
Another good hold from Djokovic after he drops the first point and his friends and family are looking suitably excited in the players' box. They appear to be dressed in lines of red, white and blue to represent the Serbian flag. Very nice.

Djokovic 4-3 Ferrer
Djokovic has a sniff of another break at 30-30 but nets a backhand and Ferrer holds, before jogging back to his chair.

Djokovic 4-2 Ferrer
Djokovic comes up with the shot of the match when in trouble at 0-30, sliding out wide and smacking a backhand down the line, and he takes the next three points for a crucial hold.

1918: "The final is bound to be federer and djokovic and will be a close 5 setter with fed just coming through."
From Luke from London via text on 8111

Djokovic 3-2 Ferrer
The match looks all but over when Ferrer goes 0-30 down but he picks up a Djokovic drop shot and fires a cross-court forehand winner. The Spaniard goes on to hold to 30.

Djokovic 3-1 Ferrer
Ferrer plays a poor game by smacking a couple of returns long when Djokovic is obviously not desperate to be running around in the heat.

1911: Djokovic has another visit from the doctor and apparently tells him, "I feel exhausted." But he has a smile on his face and looks ready for one final push.

Djokovic 2-1 Ferrer
Djokovic looks back to his best, earning two break points for the second game in successsion. He narrowly misses the first with an ambitious attempt at a shot around the net post but converts the second.

Djokovic 1-1 Ferrer
Ferrer fails with a Hawkeye challenge as Djokovic rolls through a comfortable service game.

Djokovic 0-1 Ferrer
Djokovic, with the cap back in place, misses two chances to grab what could be a decisive break with sloppy errors and Ferrer stays alive, for the moment.

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Second set:

Djokovic 6-4 Ferrer
After a set in which nearly every game has gone to deuce, we get to crunch time and Djokovic serves out to love.

Djokovic 5-4 Ferrer
Another break looks likely when Djokovic dominates the rally at 30-30 but he cannot make a tough half-volley drop shot. A wayward backhand prompts Djokovic to toss his racquet - fairly gently - into the air and Ferrer holds.

Djokovic 5-3 Ferrer
This is a hard one to call. Djokovic is seemingly cruising at 40-0 before a couple of double faults see him slip back to deuce. He takes off the sodden cap he's been wearing and throws it away in frustration. It seems to work as he serves his way out of trouble.

1840: "Djokovic is knackered."

Djokovic 4-3 Ferrer
The game looks done and dusted when Ferrer thumps down what looks like an ace at 40-15 but Djokovic challenges, and it's correct. Suddenly the momentum is back with the third seed and he breaks when Ferrer pulls a forehand wide.

Djokovic 3-3 Ferrer
Djokovic does well to hold serve as he is clearly struggling, while Ferrer looks up for the long haul. Djokovic steers a volley at deuce and Ferrer almost makes him pay, a net cord just taking the ball out, before the Serb comes through with a much sharper volley.

Djokovic 2-3 Ferrer
It's still early days but Djokovic has been in two Grand Slam semi-finals this year and been found wanting physically, being overpowered by Nadal in Paris and then retiring against the Spaniard at Wimbledon. Ferrer holds to 15.

Djokovic 2-2 Ferrer
The ice towel has some effect as Djokovic moves to game point but Ferrer is able to prolong the following rallies and Djokovic struggles. The Serb scrambles to get to a backhand when break point down and puts it long.

1820: Uh-oh. Djokovic calls for the trainer, the doctor and an ice towel as the heat is clearly starting to bother him. The doc hands over a couple of pills and Djokovic returns to the action.

Djokovic 2-1 Ferrer
Djokovic looks to be blowing a bit after that previous game and dons a white cap to give him some protection on a hot afternoon. It looks to be working when he takes the first two points but Ferrer hangs on.

Djokovic 2-0 Ferrer
It's so often the way, isn't it? You do all the hard work and then relax a little bit too much. Djokovic almost comes a cropper but forces an error when facing break point. He needs several deuces in the longest game of the match but does well to hold.

Djokovic 1-0 Ferrer
The Djokovic forehand is getting bigGer and bigger. Ferrer is in real danger at 0-30 but hauls himself back to game point, before a punishing rally of huge hitting is brought to an end by another big Djokovic forehand. Ferrer then fails to deal with some heavy slice and nets a forehand, but Djokovic goes long with the backhand on break point. Another chance comes along and this time the Serb runs down a drop shot and puts away a.... forehand.

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First set:

Djokovic 6-4 Ferrer
Djokovic completes the turnaround with his fifth straight game in stunning style. The backhand that was faltering only a few minutes ago is now working beautifully and he wraps up the set with a drive volley.

Djokovic 5-4 Ferrer
Djokovic tries another drop shot but this time Ferrer runs it down and hits a winner. The pressure remains on the Spaniard though and at 30-30 he puts a regulation backhand long. Djokovic needs only one break point, firing a backhand up the line that Ferrer cannot handle.

Djokovic 4-4 Ferrer
After a slow start Djokovic is motoring now and he glides into the net before angling away a backhand volley for 40-0, taking the game with a big serve on the next point. Three love games in a row.

Djokovic 3-4 Ferrer
Ferrer has gone from De Niro to Mickey Blue Eyes. The Spaniard does some excellent scampering on the second point but to no avail and a couple of huge forehands then help Djokovic to 0-40 and three break points. The best forehand of the lot then follows, cross-court, and the Serb is back on serve.

Djokovic 2-4 Ferrer
Djokovic gets back on track with a love hold of his own.

Djokovic 1-4 Ferrer
Ferrer is looking as ruthless as De Niro in Goodfellas, 'whacking' down an ace for a love game.

Djokovic 1-3 Ferrer
Djokovic opens up with a ridiculous drop shot from behind the baseline that just sneaks over the net and he holds to 15 to get off the mark. And Robert De Niro is in the crowd, hidden under a fishing hat. Maybe he's a big David Ferrer fan.

Djokovic 0-3 Ferrer
Ferrer is in the groove now and Djokovic is struggling to keep pace, firing one forehand way outside the tram lines.

Djokovic 0-2 Ferrer
Djokovic is under pressure after a double fault and a backhand error. Ferrer absolutely hammers a forehand moments later to get to 15-40 and two break points, and another sloppy Djokovic backhand gives up the break.

Djokovic 0-1 Ferrer
It's another sunny, blustery day at Flushing Meadows and the Arthur Ashe Stadium is yet to fill up. The late arrivals miss some beautiful forehands that get Djokovic to 0-30 up and he soons earns the first break point of the day, but Ferrer comes up with a service winner and goes on to hold.

1714: Forget the football, ignore the rugby, the cricket's over, and tear yourself away from the gymnastics - this is the place to be. We have two players trying to reach their first Grand Slam final.

Ferrer has a 2-1 lead in career meetings but that does not tell the whole story, as both the Spaniard's wins came on clay and the first was in 2004 when Djokovic was just 17.

The Serb's win came on hard courts in Indian Wells this year and he has rocketed to number three in the world, reaching the semis at the French Open and Wimbledon.

But Ferrer has been in a rich vein of form in New York, beating Rafael Nadal on his way to a first Grand Slam semi-final.