Federer and Friends To Take On Djokovic

FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y., Sept. 5 -- Roger Federer has been at the top of tennis for so long that it's hard to remember a time that he needed encouragement when things didn't go his way.

For the past five years, it seems, everything has gone Federer's way.

On court, it wasn't simply that Federer did what others did better. It was as if he were playing a different sport, conjuring strokes few knew existed and darting around the court with ethereal grace.

Federer's missteps off the court were equally rare. During his record 237 weeks atop the world rankings, the Swiss was famous for his facility with language (speaking five fluently) and innate tact, his manner suited to the moment and his outfits tailored to the occasion.

But this weekend, Federer will stride on court for his fifth consecutive U.S. Open semifinal far from a certainty to advance to the championship. Since a bout with mononucleosis over the winter, Federer has failed to win a major title, lost his No. 1 ranking to rival Rafael Nadal and seemingly lost the magic that distinguished his play.

That alone is reason for the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium to rally behind him when he takes on third-seeded Novak Djokovic on Saturday. What sports-crazed mob of New Yorkers doesn't love the underdog?

But Djokovic has now given the home crowd new reason to take up the Swiss cause, drawing jeers for his testy remarks after defeating Andy Roddick on Thursday night.

Djokovic sought to mitigate the damage less than an hour later, apologizing for reacting poorly to good-natured ribbing over his well-known penchant for summoning medical intervention during close matches.

But it's unclear whether that apology will do any good.

To recap, Roddick had mocked Djokovic's latest laundry-list of ailments, hinting that they were more perceived than real. And the Serb countered by trouncing the American in the quarterfinals and then criticizing Roddick for his impertinence. He also took a swipe at fans for their partisan fervor during the match.

Apparently shaken by the crowd's hostile reaction, Djokovic backpedaled furiously afterward.

"This was just a clear misunderstanding," he said, conceding he had exaggerated the nature of Roddick's remarks and behaved poorly in front of fans.

"In most of the matches I played, I have not enough words to thank them," Djokovic said of New York's ticket buyers. "It's a pleasure to play in front of the full stadium, packed house, a lot of entertainment and a lot of fun."

But he's apt to find that seasoned sports fans don't forgive so easily.

Just a year ago Djokovic was the toast of New York, having endeared himself to legions for his stirring run to the U.S. Open final. Just 20, he proved himself an artful practitioner of the game, with a big serve, mighty groundstrokes and clever touch. He also proved himself a comedic savant, performing riotous send-ups of the quirky service motions of Nadal and Maria Sharapova.

But tennis fans ceased being amused this week. While their reception is unlikely to dictate the outcome of his semifinal with Federer, it surely will set the tenor of the opening set. And before the first ball is struck, Djokovic will be playing from behind.

Saturday's other semifinal pits top-seeded Nadal against sixth-seeded Andy Murray. Nadal, 22, has never lost to Murray, 21, and has beaten him in straight sets in the last four of their five meetings.

Note: In the men's doubles final, Bob and Mike Bryan defeated Lukas Dlouhy of the Czech Republic and Leander Paes of India, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (12-10), to win their sixth Grand Slam event title.