Ferrer topples Tipsarevic

David Ferrer: Matched his best Grand Slam showing by advancing to the US Open semi-finals

David Ferrer battled his way through to the US Open semi-finals after defeating Janko Tipsarevic in an epic five set encounter.

The Spanish fourth seed will play on Saturday for a berth in the final after coming through against the Serbian 6-3 6-7 (5/7) 2-6 6-3 7-6 (7/4) after four hours and 31 minutes of action.

Ferrer will now face the defending champion Novak Djokovic in a repeat of the 2007 semi-final.

The 30-year-old, who has won five tournaments on three different surfaces and reached at least the quarter-finals of all four grand slams reeled off five games in a row in the opening set before Tipsarevic finally held.

But the damage had already been done and Ferrer served out the opening set.

The second set went to a tiebreaker and it was the Serbian who prevailed, taking his third set point with a ferocious off-forehand winner and letting out a roar of celebration.

Tipsarevic really had the bit between his teeth and he broke through to lead 3-2 in the third set after a game of spectacular rallies.

Happy

Ferrer was rattled and the eighth seed made it four games in a row to break again, and after making an impressive 16 winners in the set, he soon won a fifth game to clinch the set.

However, the experienced Ferrer clawed his way back into the match in the fourth set and he broke in the eighth game following a sensational 22 shot rally before serving out the set to level the match at two sets all.

The man from Belgrade was re-energised in the deciding set and took a 2-0 lead, but there was another twist in this remarkable match, but not the final one, as a heavy fall at the end of the sixth game seemed to unsettle Tipsarevic and he threw in a series to errors to hand back his hard-won break.

The Serbian number two called for the trainer for treatment to his right thigh and promptly saved two break points before holding serve to force Ferrer to serve to stay in the match, which he duly did.

Ferrer then struck the first blow in another brutal rally to lead 5-3 in the tie-break and he soon secured victory before kneeling down on the Arthur Ashe court and screaming with delight.

Speaking on court afterwards, Ferrer said: "I don't have words. I'm very happy. I ran a lot. It was a really tough match. Janko is an amazing player. He fought a lot and he deserved also to win today.

"It was a lottery in the fifth set. I had a break down but I was fighting also and I won. I had to fight a lot and be focused every point."

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