Top-seeded Novak Djokovic will face defending champion Roger Federer in the final of the Dubai Open after a 6-0, 5-7, 6-4 win over Tomas Berdych on Friday.
Up a set and a break, Djokovic started making too many errors — 48 in all — to allow Berdych back into the match.
“There were a lot of unforced errors because I just wasn’t feeling the ball great,” Djokovic admitted.
Federer went through with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Croatian teen Borna Coric. “Maybe I did have just a bit of too much variety for him today, and I made it difficult,” Federer said. “And clearly it was also part of the game plan to check him out; how he was going to handle the slice and the speed, the chip and charge and the serve and volley, and I’m happy it worked out.”
“I gave my best,” Coric said. “My best wasn’t even close enough, good today, but what you can do.”
Fouth seeds Rohan Bopanna and Daniel Nestor set themselves up for their second title of the season by reaching the doubles final beating second-seeded Jean-Julien Rojer and Horea Tecau 4-6, 7-6(9), 11-9.
The results: At Dubai: Dubai Open: Semifinals: Roger Federer bt Borna Coric 6-2, 6-1; Novak Djokovic bt Tomas Berdych .6-0, 5-7, 6-4. Doubles: Semifinals: Rohan Bopanna & Daniel Nestor bt Jean-Julien Rojer & Horia Tecau 4-6, 7-6(9), 11-9.
At Doha: Qatar Open: Semifinals: Lucie Safarova bt Carla Suarez Navarro 6-3, 6-2; Victoria Azarenka bt Venus Williams 2-6, 6-2, 6-4. Quarterfinals: Suarez Navarro bt Petra Kvitova 3-6, 6-0, 6-3; Safarova bt Andrea Petkovic 6-2, 6-1; Williams bt Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4, 1-6, 6-3; Azarenka bt Caroline Wozniacki 6-3, 6-1.
At Buenos Aires: Argentina Open: Second round: Carlos Berlocq bt Fabio Fognini 6-3, 6-0; Nicolas Almagro bt Albert Ramos 6-3, 6-4; Tommy Robredo bt Renzo Olivo 6-1, 6-2.
At Acapulco: Mexican Open: Quarterfinals: Men: Kei Nishikori bt Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-4, 6-4; Kevin Anderson bt Viktor Troicki 3-6, 6-3, 6-3; Ryan Harrison bt Ivo Karlovic 4-6, 7-6(0), 7-6(4); David Ferrer bt Bernard Tomic 6-4, 3-6, 6-1. Women: Maria Sharapova bt Magdalena Rybarikova 6-1, 4-6, 6-2; Caroline Garcia bt Mirjana Lucic-Baroni 6-2, 2-1 retired; Timea Bacsinszky bt Johanna Larsson 6-3, 6-3; Sesil Karatantcheva bt Monica Puig 2-6, 7-6(7), 6-4.