Roger Federer will meet world number Novak Djokovic in his 126th Tour final in Dubai on Saturday after cruising to a 6-2 6-1 victory over Borna Coric. Teenager Coric, world ranked 84, never reached the heights of his 6-1 6-3 shock win over Andy Murray in the previous round.
“I never thought I would play that many finals,” said 33-year-old Federer.
Serbian Novak Djokovic beat the Czech Republic’s Tomas Berdych 6-0 5-7 6-4 in the other semi.
Federer, who has reached his seventh Dubai final, stormed into a 2-0 lead in the opening set only to lose his own serve with a double fault and netted forehand. Normal service was resumed as the 17-time Grand Slam winner pounced on the Croatian’s brittle serve to break twice more to take the set. Federer surged 5-1 up in the second set as a half volley pulled Coric out wide and the 18-year-old could only scuff his effort into the net. He wrapped it up with ease, charging the net yet again as Coric thumped a forehand long.
“I felt like after five games I knew more or less what to expect and I realised what had worked until that point and what had not,” the Swiss added.
“I remember like yesterday … how it was coming into the tour, being able to play the players I had seen on TV,” Federer, 33, said in a courtside interview.
Djokovic looked set for an equally comfortable win over Berdych when he raced through the opening set 6-0, only to lose the second, despite breaking Berdych when the fourth seed initially served for the set at 5-3. The Serbian called the trainer after slipping and cutting his fingers at the end of the 11th game and he was then broken for a third time, conceding the set with a netted backhand. The final set went with serve until Berdych scuttled a backhand long to slip 3-2 behind and a dogged Djokovic served out the match.
“Even after the first set went perfectly and when I was break up I knew the match was not over,” Djokovic told reporters.
“I started making some unforced errors, backed up a little bit, less first serves in. Then he stepped in. From that moment on it was an even match, a lot of unforced errors from my side.”
Novak Djokovic vs Tomas Berdych, 27/02/2015, 15:15, Match Center
Coric B. vs Roger Federer, 27/02/2015, 13:10, Match Center
Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic to meet in Dubai final
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