Djokovic, Federer move to finals in Dubai

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Feb. 25 (UPI) -- Two-time defending champion Novak Djokovic advanced to the finals of the Dubai Duty Free Championships despite Friday's "worst performance."

Djokovic, this week's No. 2 seed, was declared the winner when third-seeded Tomas Berdych retired in the third set with a leg injury. Djokovic was ahead 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 4-2 at the time.

He'll next go against world No. 2 Roger Federer, who was a 6-2, 7-5 victor over Richard Gasquet in his semifinal Friday.

Djokovic didn't drop serve, fighting off a pair of break points and two set points before losing the first set, and won 62 percent of the points in the last two sets but he wasn't pleased.

"I don't know how to explain today's match really. In one word: catastrophe," Djokovic said. "I think the match overall and my game, it was the worst match this year for me, worst performance. But I managed to get a win, so I guess that's what matters."

Djokovic will be going for his third straight Dubai title. Federer has won the event four times (2003, '04, '05 and '07). Federer is 13-7 versus Djokovic but Djokovic won their most recent meeting, taking a straight-set win in the semifinals of the Australia Open.

Federer lost his serve only once against Gasquet, allowing him to go up 5-3 in the second set. But Federer answered by winning the next four games and the match.