Novak Djokovic will meet Roger Federer in the semi-finals of the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami.
Duo overcome tough tests to set-up semi-final date
Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer will meet in the semi-finals of the Sony Ericsson Open after victories over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Andy Roddick respectively.
Federer was taken to three-sets before prevailing a 6-3 4-6 6-4 winner, while Djokovic battled a stomach complaint late on before downing Tsonga 6-3 6-4 in Miami.
The Serbian's success ended a four-match losing run against number 10 seed Tsonga.
Djokovic struck first when breaking the Frenchman in the fifth game of the opening set to edge into a 3-2 lead.
But two games later the world number three's problems became evident as he called a medical time out to help deal with stomach cramps.
Djokovic was clearly struggling when he returned on court, however, after missing 14 first serves to give Tsonga a sniff of victory, the Serbian gritted his teeth to claim the match with a forehand winner down the line.
Pressure
Speaking after the match, Djokovic said: "I have to be very happy with today's performance, because I have been struggling to find a way to win against him in the last four encounters," he said.
"I just knew that I needed to stick in and try to wait for my chances and be aggressive.
"Today I think I tried to be closer to the line, more in control, and just put the pressure on him. So I think that's what I did."
World number two Federer, who lost to Roddick at the quarter-final stage of the same event last year, gained revenge over the American to keep alive his hops of winning his first title of 2009 in Miami.
Federer broke Roddick's serve in the fifth and ninth games to clinch the opening set but A-Rod fought back in the second to win just his ninth set against the Swiss ace, before both players exchanged blows in the third.
Neither player could break serve until the final game of the set when, with Roddick serving, Federer fought back from 40-15 to take the game to deuce, then got a lucky clip off the top of the net to go to match point.
The men's quarter-finals conclude on Thursdat when Rafael Nadal faces sixth-seeded Argentinian Juan Martin del Potro, and fourth-seeded Andy Murray battles eighth-seeded Spaniard Fernando Verdasco.
