US Open: David Ferrer edges heroic struggle with Tipsarevic

Fourth seed David Ferrer reached his second US Open semi-final after a quite brilliant five-set tussle against Janko Tipsarevic at Flushing Meadows.

The Spaniard is known as the “little beast” and he showed why as he recovered from two sets to one down and then a break down in the deciding set to win 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) after four hours and 31 minutes.

It was also a tremendous performance from eighth seed Tipsarevic, who delighted the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd with his superb shot-making but could not wear his opponent down. Tipsarevic was playing in his second straight US Open quarter-final after losing to compatriot Novak Djokovic 12 months ago but was a clear underdog against Ferrer.

The relentless Spaniard has maintained the brilliant form he has shown this year and was looking to match his run here in 2007, when he lost to Djokovic in the last four.

Tipsarevic could not have made a better start, winning the opening two games, but Ferrer swiftly hit back and showed greater consistency to win the opening set. Tipsarevic dug in well in the second, though, matching the intensity of his rival and really going for his shots. And in the tie-break it was the Serb who prevailed, before winning five games in a row to take the third set. But slowly the Spaniard clawed his way back into the match as Tipsarevic wearied. After winning the fourth set 6-3, Ferrer, who has now won his last four five-setters, looked heavy favourite going into the decider but there was another twist as Tipsarevic came out swinging to break his opponent. A heavy fall seemed to unsettle Tipsarevic at the end of the sixth game and he threw in a series of errors to hand back his hard-won break.

The fourth seed scented blood but Tipsarevic, who called for the trainer to strap his right thigh, hung on to force a tiebreak. Ferrer struck the critical blow in a brutal rally to lead 5-3 and then saw it home.