Djokovic to face Murray

The Serbian world number one, 24, beat compatriot and good friend Janko Tipsarevic 6-1, 7-6 (6) on Thursday evening after comfortably winning the first set and staving off a set point in the subsequent tie-break, when the latter served a double fault at 6-5.

That mistake proved costly as the first seed here claimed the next two points to close it out at 8-6 and seal a Melbourne rematch with world number four Murray.

“I started really well,” said Djokovic, who broke Jipsarevic’s serve in the fourth and sixth games of the first set.

“He was missing first serves and didn’t have a high percentage (40%). Then – in the second set, whenever I had a break ball – he served well, so he was very close to taking that second set. Then, who know what could have happened?

“We both got a little bit nervous towards the end, I guess, and it was just luck to prevail.”

Djokovic and Murray then are set to look horns once again after January’s semi-final in Melbourne, where the former won through in five sets after a four-hour and 50-minute marathon.

“It’s a big challenge for both of us, especially after that Australian Open thrilling match that last five hours,” ‘Nole’ explained.

“He’s somebody that is already established at the top of the men’s game and one of the biggest talents that I have seen in the game.

“He has an all-round game. He can play equally well in the defence and the offence. He has a great serve and is very solid from both strokes on the baseline.

“There are not many weaknesses. We have similar styles. We try to win our service games rather than winning returns, because we both have a great return.

“It’s going to be a good match. We both look forward to that. Regardless if it’s Grand Slam, 1,000, 500 or 250 event, we always try to win against each other and it’s a great rivalry.”

Murray was equally as enthused by the forthcoming encounter following his earlier quarter-final win against Czech Tomas Berdych, adding: “It should be a great challenge; that’s the case any time you play against the top players. I would like to get a chance to play him again.

“Before the Indian Wells-Miami stretch, it would be good to see exactly what I need to work on and where my game is.

“I had a great match with him in Australia and, hopefully, I can reverse the result on Friday.

“Any time you get a win against the number one player in the world, it’s important because you don’t get a chance to play them that often. “It will be nice when you finish playing to look back and see the list of the guys you’ve played against and had the chance to win against as well.”

alex@khaleejtimes.com