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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| A Showdown of No. 1 vs. No. 2 | A Showdown of No. 1 vs. No. 2 |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The epic match has become a Grand Slam ritual for Novak Djokovic, who — it would seem — was born in Belgrade, Serbia, to push his and other’s limits on the tennis courts of the world. | The epic match has become a Grand Slam ritual for Novak Djokovic, who — it would seem — was born in Belgrade, Serbia, to push his and other’s limits on the tennis courts of the world. |
| He was back at it again in Arthur Ashe Stadium in the United States Open semifinals, and his co-worker was once more Stanislas Wawrinka, the same sturdy Swiss outsider who pushed Djokovic to 12-10 in the fifth set in January in the fourth round of the Australian Open. | He was back at it again in Arthur Ashe Stadium in the United States Open semifinals, and his co-worker was once more Stanislas Wawrinka, the same sturdy Swiss outsider who pushed Djokovic to 12-10 in the fifth set in January in the fourth round of the Australian Open. |
| They use a fifth-set tiebreaker in New York, but though Wawrinka pushed and pushed — playing astonishingly bold and convincing tennis for large patches of this memorable duel in the sun — he could not quite muster the energy or inspiration to extend Djokovic to the limit. | They use a fifth-set tiebreaker in New York, but though Wawrinka pushed and pushed — playing astonishingly bold and convincing tennis for large patches of this memorable duel in the sun — he could not quite muster the energy or inspiration to extend Djokovic to the limit. |
| Despite struggling by his lofty standards with his serving, clutch returning and composure, the No. 1 seeded Djokovic did what he has done so well for the last three seasons: stretch, strain and keep seeking solutions in the face of inspired opposition and his own peaks and valleys. | Despite struggling by his lofty standards with his serving, clutch returning and composure, the No. 1 seeded Djokovic did what he has done so well for the last three seasons: stretch, strain and keep seeking solutions in the face of inspired opposition and his own peaks and valleys. |
| His latest reward was a come-from-behind 2-6, 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory that required 4 hours 9 minutes and earned him a spot in Monday’s final where the road is unlikely to get easier. | His latest reward was a come-from-behind 2-6, 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory that required 4 hours 9 minutes and earned him a spot in Monday’s final where the road is unlikely to get easier. |
| Djokovic will face No. 2 seed Rafael Nadal in the 37th episode of their long-running miniseries. Nadal was the more consistent, convincing of the two on Saturday, overcoming some flashy and earnest resistance from the Frenchman Richard Gasquet to win, 6-4, 7-6 (7-1), 6-2, in the second semifinal. | Djokovic will face No. 2 seed Rafael Nadal in the 37th episode of their long-running miniseries. Nadal was the more consistent, convincing of the two on Saturday, overcoming some flashy and earnest resistance from the Frenchman Richard Gasquet to win, 6-4, 7-6 (7-1), 6-2, in the second semifinal. |
| “It’s always the biggest challenge that you can have in our sport right now,” Djokovic said of Nadal. “I mean, he’s the ultimate competitor out there.” | “It’s always the biggest challenge that you can have in our sport right now,” Djokovic said of Nadal. “I mean, he’s the ultimate competitor out there.” |
| In terms of results, that seems clear. Since returning to the tour in February after missing seven months with a knee problem, he has not lost a match on hardcourts, winning the Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells, Montreal and Cincinnati. | In terms of results, that seems clear. Since returning to the tour in February after missing seven months with a knee problem, he has not lost a match on hardcourts, winning the Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells, Montreal and Cincinnati. |
| He is 21-0 over all on the surface that has typically been considered Djokovic’s domain. Djokovic is still No. 1 and Nadal has rebuilt his ranking to No. 2, the 2013 pecking order seems clear. | |
| “No doubt he’s the best player in the moment this year, no question about it,” Djokovic said of Nadal. “The way he’s been playing, he’s very confident, but you know I know how to play him. Hardcourts is the surface that is my most successful surface. I have played him already twice here in the finals. I know what I need to do. Now it’s of course easier to sit here and say, ‘I know what I need to do.’ But I’ve got to do it on the court.” | “No doubt he’s the best player in the moment this year, no question about it,” Djokovic said of Nadal. “The way he’s been playing, he’s very confident, but you know I know how to play him. Hardcourts is the surface that is my most successful surface. I have played him already twice here in the finals. I know what I need to do. Now it’s of course easier to sit here and say, ‘I know what I need to do.’ But I’ve got to do it on the court.” |
| Nadal beat Djokovic in the 2010 final to win his only United States Open title; Djokovic won in 2011 in the midst of his finest season to date. Over all, Nadal holds a 21-15 edge in the rivalry that has supplanted Nadal’s rivalry with Roger Federer as the most compelling in the game. | Nadal beat Djokovic in the 2010 final to win his only United States Open title; Djokovic won in 2011 in the midst of his finest season to date. Over all, Nadal holds a 21-15 edge in the rivalry that has supplanted Nadal’s rivalry with Roger Federer as the most compelling in the game. |
| Nadal holds a 2-1 edge this year with the mutual masterwork coming in the French Open semifinal, where Nadal prevailed, 9-7, in the fifth set on his way to an eighth French Open title. | Nadal holds a 2-1 edge this year with the mutual masterwork coming in the French Open semifinal, where Nadal prevailed, 9-7, in the fifth set on his way to an eighth French Open title. |
| This will be the fourth consecutive United States Open final and fifth over all for Djokovic, the resourceful 26-year-old Serb who had to dig, dig and dig some more to beat Wawrinka. | This will be the fourth consecutive United States Open final and fifth over all for Djokovic, the resourceful 26-year-old Serb who had to dig, dig and dig some more to beat Wawrinka. |
| “I think it was obvious Stan played more aggressive; he played better tennis over all,” Djokovic said. “I was just trying to hang in there, trying to adjust. It was not an easy match for both of us. I had to run a lot, find my rhythm in this wind. I wasn’t playing as well as I wanted to, but all the credit to him for playing so aggressive and playing so well.” | “I think it was obvious Stan played more aggressive; he played better tennis over all,” Djokovic said. “I was just trying to hang in there, trying to adjust. It was not an easy match for both of us. I had to run a lot, find my rhythm in this wind. I wasn’t playing as well as I wanted to, but all the credit to him for playing so aggressive and playing so well.” |
| Djokovic was far from his best tennis in the early going: losing three of his first four service games and making four double faults. The first set soon belonged to Wawrinka, who despite struggling with his own first-serve percentage, did not look the least bit cowed by his first Grand Slam semifinal in singles. | Djokovic was far from his best tennis in the early going: losing three of his first four service games and making four double faults. The first set soon belonged to Wawrinka, who despite struggling with his own first-serve percentage, did not look the least bit cowed by his first Grand Slam semifinal in singles. |
| Wawrinka has found a new gear in 2013 and has continued to accelerate since joining forces with his new coach, Magnus Norman, during the season. Norman, a heavy hitter from Sweden who was ranked as high as No. 2 in the world, was able to help transform veteran Robin Soderling from a dangerous outsider into a regular Grand Slam contender. | Wawrinka has found a new gear in 2013 and has continued to accelerate since joining forces with his new coach, Magnus Norman, during the season. Norman, a heavy hitter from Sweden who was ranked as high as No. 2 in the world, was able to help transform veteran Robin Soderling from a dangerous outsider into a regular Grand Slam contender. |
| He appears within reach of managing the same difficult transition with Wawrinka, 28, who has long played in the shadow of his Swiss compatriot Federer. | He appears within reach of managing the same difficult transition with Wawrinka, 28, who has long played in the shadow of his Swiss compatriot Federer. |
| Federer, in the midst of a difficult season at age 32, was beaten here in the fourth round by Tommy Robredo. But it was hard not to think of Federer on Saturday and not just because his co-coach Severin Luethi, captain of the Swiss Davis Cup team, was sitting in Wawrinka’s player box. | Federer, in the midst of a difficult season at age 32, was beaten here in the fourth round by Tommy Robredo. But it was hard not to think of Federer on Saturday and not just because his co-coach Severin Luethi, captain of the Swiss Davis Cup team, was sitting in Wawrinka’s player box. |
| Federer and Djokovic had made a habit of playing United States Open semifinals on this court. They played four in a row from 2008 to 2011, with Federer winning the first two and Djokovic the last two in five sets after saving two match points in both. | Federer and Djokovic had made a habit of playing United States Open semifinals on this court. They played four in a row from 2008 to 2011, with Federer winning the first two and Djokovic the last two in five sets after saving two match points in both. |
| Djokovic did not get that close to the brink against Wawrinka, but there was angst aplenty. | Djokovic did not get that close to the brink against Wawrinka, but there was angst aplenty. |
| “I had the feeling he was really, really nervous, struggling to find the plan and struggling to find the game how to beat me,” Wawrinka said. | “I had the feeling he was really, really nervous, struggling to find the plan and struggling to find the game how to beat me,” Wawrinka said. |
| Wawrinka was up a break of serve and 4-2 in the second set before Djokovic rallied to win the set in a tiebreaker. But Wawrinka shrugged that off to take a two set to one lead, but he said he was hurting more than he showed: aggravating a minor right leg injury late in the first set and eventually seeking treatment on and off court for it with Djokovic up 4-1 in the fourth set. | Wawrinka was up a break of serve and 4-2 in the second set before Djokovic rallied to win the set in a tiebreaker. But Wawrinka shrugged that off to take a two set to one lead, but he said he was hurting more than he showed: aggravating a minor right leg injury late in the first set and eventually seeking treatment on and off court for it with Djokovic up 4-1 in the fourth set. |
| By then Wawrinka already been penalized a point for smashing his racket twice on the court in frustration: a second code violation after another for ball abuse earlier in the match. | By then Wawrinka already been penalized a point for smashing his racket twice on the court in frustration: a second code violation after another for ball abuse earlier in the match. |
| And yet it was Djokovic whose emotions boiled over more often as he berated himself for his many missed break-point opportunities (he converted just 4 of 19) or shouted in frustration while looking imploringly at his team in the stands. | And yet it was Djokovic whose emotions boiled over more often as he berated himself for his many missed break-point opportunities (he converted just 4 of 19) or shouted in frustration while looking imploringly at his team in the stands. |
| The match’s emotional and competitive peak came in the third game of the fifth set with Wawrinka serving. It required 12 deuces and nearly 21 minutes as Wawrinka fought off five break points before finally closing out but only after the crowd in Ashe Stadium had given them a standing ovation. | The match’s emotional and competitive peak came in the third game of the fifth set with Wawrinka serving. It required 12 deuces and nearly 21 minutes as Wawrinka fought off five break points before finally closing out but only after the crowd in Ashe Stadium had given them a standing ovation. |
| “I was thinking, and I guess everybody was thinking, Whoever wins this game is going to win the match,” Djokovic said. “After he won the game, I thought to myself, OK, I guess I have to fight against those odds.” | “I was thinking, and I guess everybody was thinking, Whoever wins this game is going to win the match,” Djokovic said. “After he won the game, I thought to myself, OK, I guess I have to fight against those odds.” |
| Mission accomplished and Djokovic is now guaranteed of keeping the No. 1 ranking after the Open. He is far, far from guaranteed, however, of winning the Open itself. | Mission accomplished and Djokovic is now guaranteed of keeping the No. 1 ranking after the Open. He is far, far from guaranteed, however, of winning the Open itself. |