Federer relishes showdown with Djokovic in Dubai s/final

Grand Slam record-holder Roger Federer earned another showdown with defending champion Novak Djokovic by outplaying Lukas Rosol 6-2, 6-2 to reach the semi-finals of the Dubai Open on Thursday.

The mood of Federer’s success against the Czech, who famously ousted Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon in 2012, was in sharp contrast with his desperate recovery from within sight of defeat against Radek Stepanek on Wednesday.

“If you want to just analyse it within like ten seconds, I think that’s what it was. I don’t (usually) break somebody eight times and almost lose the match,” Federer said, referring to his slide almost to 0-3 down in the final set against Stepanek.

“So I definitely didn’t hit my spots as well, as today on my serve. I maybe could argue that Radek is a better return player than Rosol and all these things, but still I did serve much more clutch today when I needed to.”

Federer did go 0-2 down at the beginning of Thursday’s quarter-final, but hurtled through the next six games, striking the ball beautifully.

Federer was happy to go into the match with Djokovic in confident mood.

“For me, it was important also probably not to be out there for three hours,” he said.

“Then it would have been a disadvantage. But like this, I think it was a good and quick match for me. I guess we’re back on even terms for tomorrow.”

Federer leads Djokovic 16-15 in their head-to-head record, but has lost the last three.

“We’ve played each other everywhere and all the surfaces, you name it, so I think we know each other very well,” said the Swiss.

“I think we always play the match-up very good, because we play explosive, aggressive tennis, so there is always some shot making going on.

“I think it’s improved very much over the years. I don’t need to say it now because he’s proven his point so much, but he’s cleaned up his game in all aspects — serves, volleys, movement, anyways, also forehand and backhand.

“I always thought he did have some technical issues at some point in his career, maybe in the very beginning of his career or midway through. He seemed to always find a way. I’m very impressed when it comes to that.”

Earlier Djokovic advanced to the semi-finals more quickly than he would have wished when his opponent, Mikhail Youzhny, was taken ill and withdrew.