Lary Fine/Reauters
New York, Sep 5: Third-seeded Novak Djokovic of Serbia angrily answered jokes about his physical condition by picking apart American Andy Roddick 6-2 6-3 3-6 7-6 on Thursday to reach the semi-finals of the U.S. Open.
Australian Open champion Djokovic, who complained about stomach, hip, ankle and breathing problems during a five-set win in the previous round, dismantled Roddick in the first two sets and pounced on a mistake in the fourth to advance.
"Obviously Andy was saying that I have 16 injuries in the last match so obviously I don't, right?" an annoyed Djokovic said courtside, referring to comments Roddick made in his courtside interview after the fourth round.
"That's not nice anyhow to say in front of this crowd that I have 16 injuries and I am faking it."
The Serb's remarks brought jeers from the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd that had openly cheered for U.S. favourite Roddick and rooted against the third seed.
Djokovic took his displeasure out on eighth-seeded Roddick from the start, blunting the American's best weapon -- his serve -- with a brilliant return display to begin rallies where his superior groundstrokes paid off.
The 21-year-old Djokovic broke Roddick three times in the first set, going 3-for-3 on break points, and claimed the second set with lone break to seize a 5-3 lead.
Roared on by his home-country crowd, Roddick came alive in the third set, capturing his first break for a 3-1 lead, then ending it with a love-game exclamation mark of four aces.
Roddick, 26, was up a break and two points away from forcing a fifth set, serving at 5-4, 30-15 when he delivered two double faults that gave Djokovic an unexpected breakpoint.
Djokovic masterfully converted it with a backhand topspin lob and sent the set to a tiebreaker.
The 21-year-old Serb reached match point in the fourth-set decider after Roddick's attempt at a backhand drop shot failed to clear the net. Djokovic clinched victory when the American hit his service return long to end it 7-5.
Djokovic advanced to a scintillating semi-final against number two Roger Federer, who beat qualifier Gilles Muller of Luxembourg.
The other men's semi-final has top-seeded world number Rafael Nadal of Spain facing British sixth seed Andy Murray.
Roddick told reporters later than he had been joking about Djokovic faking injuries.
"It was completely meant in jest," said 2003 winner Roddick, who joked to reporters that anthrax and SARS could be future complaints from the Serb.
"I don't think I was over the line," said Roddick. "I'm sorry he felt that way. Maybe I did him a favour tonight."