Melbourne: Novak Djokovic had a perfect record in Australian Open semifinals, and he was playing almost flawless tennis to protect it.
It didn't matter that across the net was Aslan Karatsev, a 114th-ranked, 27-year-old Russian who had come through qualifying to make his debut in a Grand Slam tournament after nine failed attempts.
Djokovic made only one unforced error in more than 50 minutes.
It was tight for the first seven games - before Djokovic reeled off eight straight points to win the first set - and again when Karatsev went on an all-or-nothing roll late in the second set.
Sensing a shift in support for the underdog - there was a loud, vocal crowd at Rod Laver Arena after a five-day span when fans were barred during a local COVID-19 outbreak - Djokovic moved up a gear and finished off his opponent 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.
He's now 9-0 in semifinals at the season-opening major, and one win from a ninth Australian title.
"The more I win, the better I feel coming back," the top-ranked Djokovic said.
"The love affair continues."
Djokovic will have a day off Friday when No. 4 Daniil Medvedev and No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas, who is coming off a five-set win over Rafael Nadal, meet in the other semifinal. He said he'd have a rest and get the popcorn ready to watch and see who he gets to face in Sunday's final.
Given his past success in Melbourne, Djokovic should feel confident going into another championship match. He already owns an all-time record eight Australian titles, and he's aiming for an 18th major title, which would reduce the gap to Roger Federer and Nadal, who share the men's record at 20.
The 33-year-old Serb also is aiming to be only the second man to win nine or more titles at one of the four Grand Slams. Nadal has 13 at Roland Garros. Djokovic, in Australia, and Federer, with eight at Wimbledon, currently share second place.
"Recovery is the priority right now," Djokovic said.
"I've had enough match play, enough practice.
"Right now it's just gathering all the necessary energy for the most important match of the Australian Open."
Djokovic has played and beaten the likes of Federer - four times - Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka in the semifinals at Melbourne Park and was bringing that kind of game against Karatsev right up until he was serving for the second set.
Then the Russian qualifier lifted his game, as he did in wins over three seeded players as he became the first man in the professional era to reach the semifinals in his debut at a major.
After a difficult hold in the seventh game, Karatsev broke Djokovic's serve for the first time in the match and then narrowed the gap to 5-4.
Serena says it with few words
Melbourne: As Serena Williams walked off the court after her latest so-close-yet-so-far bid for a 24th Grand Slam title ended with a loss to Naomi Osaka at the Australian Open, the 39-year-old American paused and put her hand on her chest while thousands of spectators rose to applaud.
Was this, Williams was asked at a news conference after the 6-3, 6-4 semifinal defeat, her way of saying goodbye? "If I ever say farewell," she replied with a smile, “I wouldn't tell anyone."
When the next question returned the conversation to the subject of Williams' many mistakes Thursday (Wednesday night EST), twice as many unforced errors, 24, as winners, 12, she shook her head, teared up, said, “I'm done,” and abruptly walked out of the session with reporters.
On Saturday, at 7:30 p.m. local time (3:30 a.m. EST), Osaka will meet first-time Grand Slam finalist Jennifer Brady of the United States for the championship. The 22nd-seeded Brady, who is from Pennsylvania and played college tennis at UCLA, prevailed in an epic, 18-point last game to edge No. 25 Karolina Muchova 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in the semifinals.
Williams was hoping to get to her 34th Grand Slam final but, once again, couldn't quite get the job done in order to add one more Grand Slam trophy to her collection of 23 and equal Margaret Court for the most in tennis history.
Osaka, who also beat Williams in the chaotic 2018 US Open final that concluded with the crowd booing and both women in tears, reached her fourth major title match and stretched her winning streak to 20 matches by claiming the last eight points.
"I don't know if there's any little kids out here today, but I was a little kid watching her play," Osaka, 23, said about Williams, "and just to be on the court playing against her, for me, is a dream.”
The No. 3-seeded Osaka's Grand Slam collection also includes last year's U.S. Open and the 2019 Australian Open and she is, without a doubt, the most dangerous hard-court player in the women's game at the moment.
That used to be Williams, of course. But she was off-target too much in this contest.
"I could have won. I could have been up 5-Love,” said Williams, who instead took a 2-0 lead at the outset before dropping the next five games. “I just made so many errors.”
Her forehand, in particular, went awry, with no fewer than 10 unforced errors off that side in the first set alone.
"Too many mistakes there,” she said. “Easy mistakes.”
Williams' frustration was made plain early in the second set, when she leaned over and screamed, “Make a shot! Make a shot!”
