(AP)
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The weather was much better at the US Open today. So was Novak Djokovic. Under a cloudless blue sky, in only a hint of wind, defending champion Djokovic got his game into high gear and reached his third consecutive final at Flushing Meadows by beating fourth-seeded David Ferrer of Spain 2-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 in a match suspended a day earlier. "I was a different player," the second-seeded Djokovic said. "I felt much more comfortable on the court today than I did yesterday, (when) obviously the conditions were more brutal."
Ferrer led a shaky Djokovic 5-2 in the semifinal's opening set yesterday, when wind was whipping at more than 20mph and play was halted because of an impending rainstorm. When they resumed about 18 hours later, Ferrer held serve to take that set—and then Djokovic quickly took control, using the brand of defense-to-offense baseline excellence that has carried the Serb to four of the past seven Grand Slam titles. "We were all praying for less wind today," Djokovic said. "He handled the wind much better than I did."
