Djokovic to face Murray for Cincy crown

CINCINNATI—World No. 1 Novak Djokovic will take on No. 4 Andy Murray for the ATP Cincinnati Masters title, Djokovic advancing in an abbreviated semi-final as Murray had to battle his way through on Saturday.

Murray held off top American Mardy Fish 6-3, 7-6 (10/8), while Djokovic had just taken his opening set against Tomas Berdych 7-5 when the eighth-seeded Czech retired with a right shoulder injury.

Berdych had said he wasn’t at full strength after his quarter-final upset of two-time defending champion Roger Federer.

Djokovic claimed his 57th match victory of the season, with just one defeat. On Sunday he’ll be gunning for his 10th title of 2011 and a sixth prestigious Masters title.

Murray, meanwhile, will be seeking just his second title of the season, after his triumph on the grass courts of Queen’s Club in June.

The Scotsman cruised through the first set against Fish, but then found himself in a battle in the hot, humid weather.

Murray, who was bounced in his opening match at the Montreal Masters last week, held on to win in 2hrs 18min — capturing the tiebreaker after the two had exchanged six service breaks in the second set.

He seemed to be feeling the effects of the physical encounter as he massaged the back of first one left leg and then the other, while Fish appeared to be favoring a sore heel that has bothered him earlier this season.

“I was struggling physically in the second set, it was hot but that’s not an excuse,” said Murray.

“My legs were feeling tired. It was the conditions. I need to get stronger. This is the first tough match I’ve played for five or six weeks. I need to get some more endurance in me before the US Open.”

After the rash of service breaks, Fish fended off a triple break point in the 11th game of the second set.

Murray then saved two in the 12th game to force the tiebreaker, in which Fish had a chance to claim the set before Murray captured the match on his third match point.

In the women’s semi-finals, world number two Vera Zvonareva will meet fourth-seeded Maria Sharapova in an all-Russian affair and ninth-seeded German Andrea Petkovic will take on former world number one Jelena Jankovic of Serbia.