Roger Federer

New York: There is no likelihood of Robert and Lynette Federer sitting in the stands festooned with images of their son on the front of their clothing.

And so if Srdjan and Dijana Djokovic looked a mite tacky parading their support for Novak Djokovic’s US Open hopes in quite such an extravagant way, at least you know precisely where they stand.

Djokovic faces Roger Federer in Saturday semi-final for the fourth time at Flushing Meadows and the Serb has won only a single set. Given that Federer has not relinquished one in this year’s event, a few more pictures of his opponent’s face looking down on him are hardly likely to induce a seizure.

The Federer family has a distinctly low-key approach to these matters — Robert Federer’s continuous applause for Rafael Nadal as the Spaniard made his journey from court to box on the occasion of victory over his son in the 2008 Wimbledon final, remains an image as indelible as any other on that momentous day. The Djokovics are not known for such impartiality, but to each their own.

It would appear that Djokovic needs all the support he can muster, although the 23-year-old has moved through the tournament every bit as smoothly as Federer after the initial shock of 95F (about 35C) temperatures and the onslaught of Viktor Troicki, his fellow Serb, whom he defeated in five sets in the opening round.

That day, it looked for a time as if Djokovic might suffer another of those days when the conditions render him lifeless. He was even asked if he faked some of his more melodramatic on-court meltdowns.

“Everyone has a right to say what they think,” the world No.3 said. “I never faked anything, I always prioritise health. It’s the most important thing in life. I have made decisions in the right and wrong way, it’s very relative. But I don’t regret doing what I thought was best for me at a certain point.”

His tennis is in good nick, so is his movement, and his 7-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory over Gael Monfils in the quarter finals was a triumph of increasingly confident ball-striking as opposed to theatrics and nonsense tennis.

Only if he can stop trying to be a clown, will Djokovic deliver on his tremendous talent. The look on the face of Roger Rasheed, his coach, suggested that it would have been an uncomfortable post mortem.

The departure of Laura Robson from the girls’ event was not unexpected. Having stalled on the verge of a place in the main draw, her heart may not have been totally in another junior escapade and her 6-3, 6-2 defeat to Robin Anderson, of the United States, in the third round contained more errors than would have been expected from her. The senior game awaits.

Related report: pg 20