Dynamic youth against steady experience. Moya is looking for his third Top 15 win of the week, and Djokovic his, what, third Masters semi this year? Might be a cracker, might be an anticlimax either way. Both players warming up.

Moya threatens at 0-30, but Djokovic seems unconcerned as he wins the next four points to hold for 1-0.

The Serb won their only other encounter, also on clay, last summer in the Umag semis. That should give him confidence. He doesn't seem to be showing early signs of fatigue from his double duty yesterday but that may change as yet.

Strong point construction from Djokovic gets him to his first break point at Ad, but it's Moya's turn to take early pressure in stride as he serves his way out of trouble. 1-all.

Both players looking sharp. Comfortable holds from each for 2-all, despite a little mark-checking malarkey in the midst there.

Each player has had three BPs go by the wayside. Moya's failure to convert is more disappointing considering 0-40. Djokovic favouring his shoulder in his play, a sign of trouble. 4-3 on serve.

:smash: :fserve:

Not much to separate these two. Djokovic had two set points at 5-4 but to no avail. Moya in turn seems to consistently get to 30-all on the Serb's serve, with a lengthy deuce the last time out, but also goes no further.

Fittingly the first set will be decided by a tiebreaker.

Djokovic sends a few balls into the net, and his already dramatic body language gets more negatively so. He's down 1-3 in the tiebreaker.

Moya has really stepped up his game, sending down a few punishing forehands in the past several points. Djokovic has no reply and the Spaniard goes up 5-1 with one service point left to go at the change of ends.

Five set points for Moya at 6-1.

Two set points saved on his own serve, but the next two come on Moya's racquet.

Moya falters, sending a forehand into the net. At 6-4 suddenly things get interesting.

Fed might have to beat four straight Spaniards to win this title. ;)



*wonders if that came out right*

*maybe should have said four straight matches against Spaniards*

But Djokovic gets no reprieve, unable to do anything with a sharp forehand volley from the Spaniard. Moya takes the first set 7-6(4).

Has to be gutting for the Serb who had the slight edge all throughout, I feel, until the tiebreaker. He'll be rueing those two set points he let slip.

Djokovic made to rue missing those set points as he throws in a sloppy tiebreak and Moya takes it 7-4.

Many people, myself included, were expecting bigger things from Djokovic on clay this season; he reached the QF of RG last year quite impressively, and soared up the rankings this year courtesy of his excellent showings at IW and Miami, but he hasn't really taken off yet. His loss to Ferrer in Monte Carlo was forgivable enough, as would be a loss to Moya, but you'd kind of hope he'd be winning these sorts of matches.

He's obviously not out of this one yet, but despite playing some good stuff in that first set you have to assume going a set down will give him even more of a mountain to climb, with his hectic schedule this week.

Djokovic comes alive in his frustration, breaking to love on Moya's opening service game. It's a couple of games too late, however.

If this goes the distance Federer will be facing the walking wounded regardless of who emerges, I think.

Careless forehand long with the line wide open from Djokovic gives Moya his own break chance at 30-40. But he sends down a couple of strong serves and consolidates 2-0.

Moya seems to have lost his way in the second set, and at 30-all seems in peril of going down a double break. He recovers well (with an exquisite drop shot, which Djokovic heroically manages to get back, but Moya slaps it down with a drive volley) and then gets a service winner for the crucial hold, but Djokovic still leads 2-1.

Shoddy service game from Djokovic with only one point won and he forfeits the break advantage. 2-all.

Amazing reverse drop volley from the Spaniard at full stretch (facing away from the net!) that wins the first point of his service game. Djokovic is unimpressed and hammers a blazing forehand passing shot on the next point. 15-all.

Some more heavy hitting from the Serb and he makes amends for his prior lapse to go up a break again 3-2.

:huh: This is starting to look like the second set of the Fed match; nobody can seem to hold serve.

It was nearly a redux of the Federer v Ferrer second set, but Moya fails to take a break chance as the Serb goes up 4-2.

Moya however has a comfortable hold to love for 4-3. Both players looking a bit sluggish now.

hurrah! 5-3 for Novak

Moya plays two classy points for 40-30, but does nothing further and the Serb is one game away from forcing the decider at 5-3.

Both players playing well after a long stretch of listless play, and Djokovic is two points from the set at 30-all, but Moya regroups and the Serb will have to serve it out.

Things look dicey at 30-all, but Djokovic responds with an ace and a service winner to even things up 6-7(4), 6-4. You have to think he'll take the momentum going into the third. His shoulder weakness on display in the first seems to have up and disappeared, interestingly.

Easy hold to love for Moya at the outset of the third set, probably not the best way for Djokovic to keep applying the pressure. 1-0.

It'll be a war of attrition.

And now Djokovic surrenders his service game at 15. Any pretence of momentum has fizzled. Moya is up 2-0 but will have to keep on top of it.

Each man seems to be drawing from the same source of energy that they keep passing back and forth between them. :P

And Moya may have just passed a sip to Djokovic, as he lets a lead in his service game slip to deuce. Back to Ad Moya now, though.

Tense moments at 15-30, but some assertive play from Moya (and weak returning from Djokovic) gives him the hold from deuce. He consolidates the break 3-0.

3-0 now...

:moody:

what's happened to Djokovic?!

Moya makes no inroads on Djokovic's next service game. A hold to love should give the Serb some confidence. But it's still the Spaniard who leads 3-1.

Djokovic gets another look at 15-30, but again fails to profit. Some tired-looking swings coming from him now. Moya looks more tentative mentally than physically but he keeps it together and goes up 4-1.

Djokovic isn't going away just yet, with a hold to 15. Moya is still two games away but will have to earn the win at 4-2.

Crucial point at 30-all. A tense rally seems to be going Djokovic's way, but Moya chooses a fine time to hit his first backhand winner of the match in a fierce passing shot on the scramble. It makes all the difference and the Spaniard escapes yet another service game for 5-2.

Another stroll for Djokovic on serve with a hold to 15. Moya seems content to simply serve out the match at 5-3. We'll see if he manages the feat.

A strong start, an ace getting Moya to 30-0. A DF a short time later puts him at 30-all on his serve yet again. He gets a service winner next but Djokovic comes alive on the next point and it's deuce. Hmmm.

A wild miss from Moya on a forehand that had been steady for much of the set gives Djokovic a ray of hope. Ad Djokovic.

Unbelievable. Moya is broken from 30-love. For all his experience, none of it told in that disastrous service game.

Djokovic still in it at 4-5. He still needs to serve to stay alive however.