Tennis: Mature Federer in form for the final

Roger Federer faces Novak Djokovic in his first US Open final since 2009. Photo / AP

At 34, and more than three years since his most recent Grand Slam title, Roger Federer arrived at the US Open with some changes in store.

There was his much-discussed SABR - Sneak Attack By Roger - tactic, in which he half-volleys the occasional second-serve return. He skipped a hard-court tune-up tournament last month, choosing to rest and prepare. And he's now completely comfortable with the larger racket head he had experimented with in the past.

Add it all up, and he might just be playing as well as ever, which is saying something for a guy who owns a record 17 major titles.

Federer moved into his first US Open final since 2009 with the latest in a string of dominating performances, overwhelming friend and Swiss Olympic and Davis Cup team-mate Stan Wawrinka 6-4 6-3 6-1 yesterday.

"What's it been now? Six years I haven't been in the final? Sounds like a big deal," Federer said. "Not that long ago, my opinion."

As for the quality of his play over the past two weeks - he has won all 18 sets he's played, dropped only 62 games, and been broken only twice in 81 service games - Federer said: "It's definitely very good. Maybe my best, I'm not sure. I'd love it to work just one more time."

That would be in tomorrow's final (NZT), which is a blockbuster: the No2-seeded Federer meets No1 Novak Djokovic, owner of nine major titles himself.

Believe it or not, Djokovic's match yesterday was even less competitive. He beat defending champion Marin Cilic 6-0 6-1 6-2 in 85 minutes in the most lopsided semifinal in New York in the Open era, which started in 1968.

"There's a lot on the line always when we play against each other," said Federer, who beat Djokovic in the 2007 US Open final but lost semifinals to him in 2010 and 2011 (both 7-5 in the fifth set).

It is their record-tying 42nd career matchup overall - only Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have played each other that often in the Open era - and Federer leads 21-20. He won their most recent match, on a hard court last month at the Cincinnati Masters.

"We all know how consistent he is and how good he is in the latter stages of grand slams and any other big tournament," Djokovic said. "He always makes you play your best."

Djokovic will be appearing in his fourth major final of the year. He won the Australian Open in January, lost to Wawrinka at the French Open in June, and won Wimbledon in July.

"Well, of course it's a great achievement, and I'm very proud of it," Djokovic said. "These are the tournaments where you want to perform your best."

For Djokovic, it's his sixth trip to the final at Flushing Meadows. He's won only one, in 2011. Federer won five consecutive US Opens from 2004-08 and lost to Juan Martin del Potro in the 2009 final.

Since then, Federer has won two majors, at the Australian Open in 2010 and Wimbledon in 2012. Djokovic's tally in that same span? Eight trophies.

But nowadays, Federer's movement is as good as ever. His serve is a perfect mix of power and placement. And his return game now features the "SABR," which came about accidentally during a practice session.

Wawrinka had a simple explanation for why he found it so difficult yesterday.

"Basically, it's him," the fifth-seeded Wawrinka said. "The way he's playing."

Semifinal results

Men

2-Roger Federer (SUI) bt 5-Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) 6-4 6-3 6-1

1-Novak Djokovic (SRB) bt 9-Marin Cilic (CRO) 6-0 6-1 6-2

Women

Roberta Vinci (ITA) bt 1-Serena Williams (USA) 2-6 6-4 6-4

26-Flavia Pennetta (ITA) bt 2-Simona Halep (ROU) 6-1 6-3

- AP