Tennis: Djokovic concedes upgrades needed after Belgrade failure

BELGRADE, Serbia -- World number one Novak Djokovic admitted he needs to work on his game ahead of next month's French Open after he was knocked out by Aslan Karatsev in the Belgrade semi-finals on Saturday.

The 28th-ranked Karatsev saved 23 of 28 break points to advance to his second final of the year following a 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 victory, gaining a measure of revenge for his defeat by Djokovic in the last four of the Australian Open.

It was a second surprise loss in as many weeks for Djokovic, who was also beaten in the last 16 of the Monte Carlo Masters by Britain's Dan Evans.

Djokovic is registered for the Madrid Open but did not confirm whether he would play at the May 2-9 Masters-level event which will feature reigning French Open champion Rafael Nadal.

"Roland Garros is the main goal but I need to play better if I'm thinking about doing something there. I have a lot of work ahead of me," said the 18-time Grand Slam champion.

Djokovic commended the "bravery" of Karatsev and his "excellent play in the important moments" but revealed he felt "dizzy" in the third set.

Karatsev rose from 114th to inside the top 50 following his improbable run as a qualifier at the Australian Open, as Djokovic won the tournament for a record ninth time.

"You have to put (in) like 200 per cent to beat this guy, it's like playing against a wall," said Karatsev.

"This is definitely (the biggest win of my career), it's the World No. 1," he added.

"I'm really happy, I put everything on the court. The match was long. I'm really happy with my performance today."

Djokovic, the 2009 and 2011 champion at the event which is played at a venue which carries his name, surrendered a 3-0 advantage in the opening set as he dropped serve three times.

The Serb then fell 4-2 behind in the second but summoned his well-documented powers of recovery to win four straight games and send the match to a deciding set.

Dubai champion Karatsev fended off eight break points in the third set before winning Djokovic's service game to move 4-3 ahead and leave the top seed on the brink.

Djokovic saved a match point down 5-3 to force Karatsev to serve it out. The third seed saved two further break points as he completed a landmark win after three hours and 25 minutes.

Karatsev will face 10th-ranked Matteo Berrettini in Sunday's final after he overcame Japan's world number 126 Taro Daniel.

The Italian dropped serve while serving for the match in the second set but regrouped to advance 6-1, 6-7 (5/7), 6-0.

Second seed Berrettini will target his first title since winning on grass at Stuttgart in June 2019.

Daniel had been the first lucky loser to reach an ATP semi-final this year. 

Agence France-Presse

2021 Australian Open: Peerless Djokovic ends Karatsev dream to reach final

World number one 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.

"This is the best I've felt in the entire tournament," said Djokovic, who hit 30 winners and 17 aces.

"I could swing through the ball. No pain. The best match so far."

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.

In his way will be either fourth seed Daniil Medvedev or Nadal's conqueror Stefanos Tsitispas, the fifth seed, a clash Djokovic said he was eagerly anticipating.

"I'm going to take the popcorn and enjoy it," he said. "I absolutely have zero preference.

"I thought Stefanos did incredibly well to hang in there because Rafa was playing amazing," added Djokovic.

"Medvedev is the guy. He is playing at the highest level the last three months."

Djokovic, who hasn't 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, wasn't 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 wasn't 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 wouldn't 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.

Agence France-Presse