Federer, Djokovic to Tangle at Open Yet Again

NEW YORK — A year ago, Roger Federer held double-match point on Novak Djokovic in the U.S. Open semifinals.

During those moments, Federer admitted he allowed his mind to wander ahead to the thought of playing his arch-rival Rafael Nadal in the final the following day.

Beating Djokovic and Nadal on back-to-back days would have been a tough task for the then-29-year-old Federer and that thought crept into his mind.

“It is true that I did think of the Rafa final and the prospect, you know, trying to get there without maybe losing too much energy,” Federer said after dispatching No. 11 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 to advance to his eighth straight U.S. Open semifinal. “Maybe that was one of the reasons I was not able to stay tougher in two of the sets I lost, actually.

“Still should have won the match, maybe, but it’s just a tough prospect.”

Open Will Feature a Monday Men’s Final – Again

For the fourth year in a row, weather has forced a Monday men’s final at the U.S. Open.

Because rain knocked out play Tuesday and Wednesday, officials changed the schedule and moved the women’s final to Sunday at 4 p.m. from Saturday in primetime and the men’s final to Monday at 4 p.m. instead of Sunday at that hour.

“We revised the schedule for the remainder of the 2011 US Open in an effort to be fair to the players and our ticketholders,” Open tournament director Jim Curley said in a statement. “This is the result of a collaborative effort with the players, CBS Sports and tournament officials to address the issues that arose from the inclement weather earlier this week.”

The remaining two men’s quarterfinals — John Isner-Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal-Andy Roddick — will begin at noon on Friday.

Roddick, Nadal Advance to Showdown on Wild Day

NEW YORK — Giovanni Auricchio of Brazil found himself high up in the Court 13 stands on a hot and humid Thursday afternoon at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

Thanks to Mother Nature and a water bubble issue on the court in Louis Armstrong Stadium, Auricchio got an up-close look as No. 21 Andy Roddick knocked out No. 5 David Ferrer, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, in a fourth-round match that set up a quarterfinal showdown Friday with defending champion Rafael Nadal.

“Amazing, amazing,” Auricchio told SNY.tv. “This was supposed to be in [Louis Armstrong] Stadium and having the match here in Court 13 was awesome. You’re so close to the players, you know? So nice.”