MASON, Ohio — Roger Federer has won the Western & Southern Open seven times.
Novak Djokovic has never won it despite reaching the final five times.
Now the two will meet in the final for a fourth time on Sunday after both men won their semifinals on Saturday.
Federer advanced in the second semifinal after David Goffin retired with a right shoulder injury, trailing 7-3(3), 1-1.
Goffin retires with a right shoulder injury at 1-all in the 2nd set and the tennis world will get a Federer-Djokovic final on Sunday at 4 ET https://t.co/RNPuISuzms
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) August 19, 2018
Federer most recently won the title in 2014 and ’15 and hasn’t played the event since then. He had to play two matches Friday due to rain and then turn around and play the semifinal Saturday.
“I got to bed at 3:30 in the morning [Saturday] so I’m tired,” Federer said on ESPN of playing two matches in one day. “I’m going to recover for tomorrow and hopefully I’ll be better tomorrow.”
Djokovic, who is coming off winning Wimbledon for his 13th career major, leads Federer 23-22 all-time. Djokovic also leads 11-6 in finals, while Federer is 3-0 against him in Cincinnati.
“I think it really depends who plays better on those crucial points,” said Federer, the owner of a men’s best 20 Grand Slam titles
Earlier, Djokovic beat Marin Cilic, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, to move him one victory away from the only ATP Masters 1000 title he’s never claimed. Djokovic is trying to become the first to win all nine events since the series started in 1990. He’s reached the finals five times and lost each time.
“My sixth time, I’ll try to win the title,” he said. “Obviously this time I’m hoping I get my hands on the trophy.”
“If he won all Masters 1000s, it’s a special thing,” Federer said. “It’s incredible.”
Djokovic completed his long recovery from elbow surgery by winning Wimbledon for the fourth time last month. He then set out to get his hard-court game in form for the U.S. Open.
Frustrated by his ragged play early in his semifinal win over Milos Raonic a day earlier, Djokovic slammed his racket on the court, sending pieces of the frame into the air. The racket-busting became a turning point.
When he closed out the victory Saturday, he walked calmly to the net to congratulate Cilic and then raised both arms in triumph.
One more to go.
In the women’s bracket, top-ranked Simona Halep reached the final for a second straight year, beating Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 6-4. Like Djokovic, she’s never won the title, losing both of her chances, including the title matchlast year to Garbine Muguruza.
Halep will be trying for her second title in eight days. She won her third title of the season last Sunday in Montreal.
“It’s going to be a big challenge for me to play another final and win it,” she said.
She’ll face Kiki Bertens , who advanced to her first Western & Southern final by wearing down No. 8 Petra Kvitova 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Bertens is an unexpected finalist, winning only one match during three previous appearances in Cincinnati. Her only title this season was at Charleston.
Known as more of a clay-court player, Bertens has reached a hard-court final for the first time, spending more time getting accustomed to the different style of play.
“I think also I’m less stressed,” she said. “So before the match, I’m less nervous than I used to be. Before I was like, ‘Oh, I play on center court and a lot of people are watching.’ But now I’m just more relaxed.”
A week of rain delays and double-duty days wore on players, many of whom wound up playing twice in a day. Kvitova faded in her second straight three-set match, ending her best showing in Cincinnati. She’d made five previous appearances in semifinals this season, winning each tournament.
“My legs were pretty heavy,” Kvitova said. “I just couldn’t really jump at all. It was very, very tiring, the second set, and I just think that I couldn’t really find energy in the third one. I was really trying, but nothing.”
(The AP contributed)
