Novak Djokovic is into his 25th grand slam semi-final. Was it ever in doubt? Not really. It was a limited challenge from Milos Raonic and Djokovic never looked back after winning the first set on a tie-break. You can bet it’s going to be a tougher test for him against Stanislas Wawrinka on Friday. Wawrinka has fond memories of their meeting here last year.
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NOVAK DJOKOVIC BEATS MILOS RAONIC 7-6, 6-4, 6-2!
Djokovic wins the first point. He wins the second, even though he needs a helping hand from HawkEye. He doesn’t win the third, a forehand failing to get over the net, but he does win the fourth thanks to an ace. He’s got two match points. He double-faults - ! - on the first, but it doesn’t matter, it was only a momentary lapse, because the second is taken with a stylish backhand volley.
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Third set: Djokovic 7-6, 6-4, 5-2 Raonic* (*denotes server): A faultless service game from Raonic, but he’s surely only delaying the inevitable.
Third set: Djokovic* 7-6, 6-4, 5-1 Raonic (*denotes server): Djokovic is one game away from an Australian Open semi-final against Stanislas Wawrinka.
Third set: Djokovic 7-6, 6-4, 4-1 Raonic* (*denotes server): It seems it’s Raonic’s game at 30-0. But Djokovic then goes through the gears to win three consecutive points and earn a break point. Raonic saves it, but then his forehand badly misfires. Here’s another break point for Djokovic. Here’s another break for Djokovic as Raonic nets a forehand.
Third set: Djokovic* 7-6, 6-4, 3-1 Raonic (*denotes server): Djokovic begins this game by spanking a smash down into the ground and up over a leaping Raonic, who can’t jump high enough. Raonic’s head is gone. Djokovic is playing too well. He’s barely making a mistake.
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Third set: Djokovic 7-6, 6-4, 2-1 Raonic* (*denotes server): A couple of misses from Raonic and it’s 0-30 and Djokovic is on the charge. Sure enough, he wallops a forehand volley away for 0-40. Three break points. Given the pattern of play, they’re basically match points. The first goes begging, Djokovic netting a forehand, but saving another is beyond Raonic. Djokovic pushes him out wide and he panics, spluttering a diagonal forehand well wide. Djokovic breaks.
Third set: Djokovic* 7-6, 6-4, 1-1 Raonic (*denotes server): At 30-0, an extraordinary rally. Raonic looks to be out of it several occasions, somehow batting the ball back despite being on his knees, and Djokovic fails to finish him off despite having him right where he wants him. But then Raonic nets a backhand and the fun is over. Still, at least it was fun while it lasted; a few seconds later, Djokovic has held to love.
Third set: Djokovic 7-6, 6-4, 0-1 Raonic* (*denotes server): Novak Djokovic broke in the first game of the second set. Can he break in the first game of the third set? A lovely forehand volley to go up 0-15 suggests he can. So does a forehand into the net from Raonic at 15-all, but then finally we are treated to an interesting rally, Raonic at the net and somehow coming out on top with a feathery touch to make it 30-all. Djokovic is so surprised that he falls over. Or maybe just lost his footing. Either way, he picks himself up, gathers himself and carves out a break point when Raonic loops a forehand long. The Canadian is in danger of sinking, but that trusty serve steers him towards calmer waters and eventually he holds.
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NOVAK DJOKOVIC WINS THE SECOND SET 6-4; HE LEADS 7-6, 6-4
And so it’s now or never for Raonic. Can he finally get right up in Djokovic’s grille while he’s on serve? He has to, otherwise he’s two sets down and he’s never come back from two sets down in a grand slam. But I’m writing more in hope than expectation. And Raonic appears to have given up the ghost. He just has no conviction when he’s returning and Djokovic quickly has three set points. A Raonic return balloons apologetically up into the air and Djokovic whistles a slam past him to seal the second set.
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Second set: Djokovic 7-6, 5-4 Raonic* (*denotes server): Djokovic can’t locate any rhythm in this game, Raonic holding to love, and he’ll have to serve for a two-set lead.
Second set: Djokovic* 7-6, 5-3 Raonic (*denotes server): Djokovic directs a very odd backhand wide on the first point. 0-15. A hint of a chance for Raonic. But only a slim one. Soon it’s 30-15. Djokovic raps a forehand away for 40-15 and ultimately it’s another easy hold for the world No1.
Second set: Djokovic 7-6, 4-3 Raonic* (*denotes server): A couple of poor attempts at volleying aside, Raonic clings on in this second set, holding to 30 when Djokovic fires a backhand long. He wasn’t far off making it, mind you.
Second set: Djokovic* 7-6, 4-2 Raonic (*denotes server): Djokovic holds to love, pounding the hell out of the ball and out of Raonic, whose response is feeble.
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Second set: Djokovic 7-6, 3-2 Raonic* (*denotes server): Raonic helps himself to a handy love service game. But when he sits back down in his chair, you know he’ll be thinking about the opening game of this set.
Second set: Djokovic* 7-6, 3-1 Raonic (*denotes server): “This is why I don’t watch tennis,” one of my colleagues announces. I wouldn’t go that far, but this match is desperately low on both tension and entertainment. It’s a grind. Is Milos Raonic the most boring good player on the men’s tour?
Second set: Djokovic 7-6, 2-1 Raonic* (*denotes server): Raonic holds to 15. But he’s down a break and he hasn’t remotely looked like making any inroads into Djokovic’s serve. He needs to show more belief.
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Second set: Djokovic* 7-6, 2-0 Raonic (*denotes server): Djokovic is cruising now. He consolidates the break by holding to love.
Second set: Djokovic 7-6, 1-0 Raonic* (*denotes server): Mr Elastic’s wonder stretching forces Raonic to play one more shot at 0-15 and, driven to distraction, he slams a smash wide to make it 0-30. A rasping backhand return from Djokovic earns him three break points and although Raonic saves the second, Djokovic takes the second with a beautiful backhand pass.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC WINS THE FIRST SET 7-6!
First-set tie-break: Djokovic* 7-5 Raonic (*denotes server): Oh dear. Raonic wellies a dismal forehand miles wide and the first set is Djokovic’s!
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First-set tie-break: Djokovic 6-5 Raonic* (*denotes server): Raonic saves a second set point as Djokovic sends a forehand long.
First-set tie-break: Djokovic 6-4 Raonic* (*denotes server): Raonic is a lucky boy! He dabs an awkward drop-shot over the net - it’s not the greatest technique you’ll ever see - and it’s called wide. Raonic challenges - and HawkEye shows that it was in!
First-set tie-break: Djokovic* 6-3 Raonic (*denotes server): Djokovic surges to the net and wrongfoots Raonic with a backhand volley. Three set points.
First-set tie-break: Djokovic* 5-3 Raonic (*denotes server): Djokovic flashes his fifth ace of the match down the middle.
First-set tie-break: Djokovic 4-3 Raonic* (*denotes server): A fine serve out wide from Raonic keeps him in the picture.
First-set tie-break: Djokovic 4-2 Raonic* (*denotes server): A wild forehand from Raonic zooms wide. Djokovic has that mini-break back.
First-set tie-break: Djokovic* 3-2 Raonic (*denotes server): A wonderful, swaggering cross-court forehand is too much for Raonic!
First-set tie-break: Djokovic* 2-2 Raonic (*denotes server): Djokovic nets a forehand!
First-set tie-break: Djokovic 2-1 Raonic* (*denotes server): Raonic comes up with an ace.
First-set tie-break: Djokovic 2-0 Raonic* (*denotes server): Raonic belts a backhand long.
First-set tie-break: Djokovic* 1-0 Raonic (*denotes server): A lengthy rally ends with Raonic netting a backhand. Raonic never looked like winning it.
First set: Djokovic 6-6 Raonic* (*denotes server): Raonic holds to love. Tie-break.
First set: Djokovic* 6-5 Raonic (*denotes server): Djokovic holds to 15. The tie-break is approaching. Unless Djokovic can break here.
First set: Djokovic 5-5 Raonic* (*denotes server): A Raonic double-fault, his second of the match, leaves Djokovic too points away from the first set. Mind you, it’s only 30-all. Which isn’t quite as dramatic. And Raonic gets the two points he needs to hold.
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First set: Djokovic* 5-4 Raonic (*denotes server): “It’s very difficult to keep your excitement in a game like this, for your opponent,” says Mats Wilander. Mats is always right. This is not thrilling. I am not thrilled. I wish they’d put Wawrinka v Nishikori in this slot instead.
First set: Djokovic 4-4 Raonic* (*denotes server): Raonic leads 30-15 but two consecutive forehand errors give Djokovic a break point. He’s in trouble when the rallies are extended. But he’s not in trouble when he’s standing by the baseline and the ball’s in his hand and he’s about to serve. A gigantic serve keeps Djokovic waiting again. But then we see the rough edges to Raonic’s game as he fails to do enough with a drop-volley, putting enough juice on the ball to make it easy for the speedy Djokovic to reach it and flick a forehand past his opponent for another break point. Again, though, the serve is Raonic’s best friend in the whole world. He ends up holding and Djokovic gives his racquet a slap. He’s frustrated.
First set: Djokovic* 4-3 Raonic (*denotes server): Raonic’s heart starts to beat a bit faster when Djokovic sends a forehand pass long on the first point and then plonks an ill-advised drop-shot into the net to make it 0-30. But he can’t take advantage. At 15-30, he drags a forehand wide by inches; close, but not close enough. The game goes to deuce, but Djokovic is too strong. He holds thanks to a screeching forehand.
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First set: Djokovic 3-3 Raonic* (*denotes server): Raonic holds to love. And what’s that I spy looming in the distance? Why, it couldn’t be a tie-break, could it?
First set: Djokovic* 3-2 Raonic (*denotes server): There’s still no sign of Raonic sorting out his returning game. Djokovic is targeting his forehand, hoping to break it down, in the same way Murray dismantled Nick Kyrgio’s greatest weapon yesterday.
First set: Djokovic 2-2 Raonic* (*denotes server): A welcome love game for Raonic. That’ll do. Djokovic, sliding around at the back of the court, is quelled. For now.
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First set: Djokovic* 2-1 Raonic (*denotes server): When it coms to Raonic, you think back to the complete lack of drama when he faced Roger Federer in the Wimbledon semi-final. Federer was just too efficient and was never in trouble in his straight-sets victory. And so far, Raonic is not making much of an impression on the Djokovic serve. He’s going to have to improve.
First set: Djokovic 1-1 Raonic* (*denotes server): Raonic makes an edgy start, a double-fault on the first point, but he settles himself down with his first ace to make it 15-all. A sumptuous backhand lob from Djokovic makes it 15-30 and soon he has a break point at 30-40 when Raonic nets a tight forehand. Raonic’s response? You know what Raonic’s response is. BAM! Deuce. Djokovic thinks he has another break point when a Raonic second serve is called out, but a challenge from the Canadian shows it was clearly in. Then he faces an actual break point, but saves with it an 145mph ace. Big serving eventually drags Raonic away from what was threatening to turn into an extremely sticky situation.
First set: Djokovic* 1-0 Raonic (*denotes server): Novak Djokovic, the four-time champion, opens the serving. And he opens with an ace. Take that, Milos! Djokovic has been serving brilliantly during this tournament, as it happens, and has only been broken once. Not bad. He shows why here by holding to love with consummate ease.
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Tok! Tok! Tok! They’re knocking up.
The players are out. Milos Raonic gets a big cheer. Novak Djokovic gets a bigger cheer. Apparently they really, really, really, *really* like him out there.
“Djokovic the game’s best player?” says Prasanna. “Isn’t it ironic he won only one slam last year? I mean despite Federer fading and Nadal’s body giving up, Djokovic isn’t racking up slams. Seems to me he needs to do more to justify greatness tag. I can give you that he is the most in-form player now.”
About as ironic as being presented with 10,000 spoons when all you need is one spoon. I certainly think he must be frustrated not to have added more, but he’s more or less been the world No1 since 2011. I mean, this is his 23rd consecutive grand slam quarter-final. That’s impressive.
“Got any great tennis pics by Tom Jenkins we could look at while we wait?” says Andrew Benton.
The picture chaps will be in the office soon enough.
On offer for Djokovic the winner: a semi-final against Stan Wawrinka, who saw off Kei Nishikori in three sets earlier. I’m not sure anyone would want to play the defending champion when he’s in that sort of form.
Morning. There’s a first time for everything. One day, someone will laugh at one of your jokes. One day, someone will pick up the phone when you call. One day, you’ll get invited to that party. And one day, surely, Milos Raonic will beat Novak Djokovic at tennis (he’s beaten him at being Canadian several times over).
You just have to keep the faith. This is Raonic’s fifth attempt at beating the world No1 and the second time he has faced him in a grand slam quarter-final after losing to Djokovic in three tight sets at the French Open last year.
But, as tight as they were, those three sets were informative at the most basic numerical level. Djokovic won 7-5, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4. All it took was a break here and a point there for Djokovic to win and therein lies the problem for Raonic. He has a big serve and some big shots, but his is a game that is high on power and low on subtlety and variation at the moment, and that is rarely going to be enough against Djokovic, the game’s best returner, the game’s best defender, the game’s best mover and - this is the most important thing - the game’s best player. Raonic is going to need something extra today, because this has a whiff of predictability about it otherwise.
Play begins at: 8.15am in Blighty, 7.15pm in Melbourne.
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