Wimbledon 2019 men’s semi-final: Novak Djokovic beats Roberto Bautista Agut

Novak Djokovic one victory away from managing to defend a Wimbledon title for the second time.

Novak Djokovic celebrates beating Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut during their men's singles semi-final match on day 11 of the 2019 Wimbledon Championships.

Novak Djokovic has moved to within one victory of managing to defend a Wimbledon title for the second time in his stellar career after a tough semi-final win over Roberto Bautista Agut.

The world No 1 awaits the victor of a semi-final between fellow legends Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal after progressing 6-2 4-6 6-3 6-2 in 2hr 49min.

While the scoreline was relatively straightforward, the Spanish outsider ensured Djokovic was forced to earn his success, with his second set in particular superb.

At that stage, the prospect remained of an upset given the recent history between rivals very similar in style, but Djokovic was able to raise his level further.

He will play for a fifth Wimbledon title on Sunday _ and 16th grand slam success overall _ after previous successes in 2011, 2014, 2015 and last year.

Bautista Agut, who has enjoyed a career best year at major level, will now be able to begin the bachelor party he had postponed by virtue of reaching the semi-finals.

But the world No 22 will do this in London, not in Ibiza where six of his friends had previously headed, as a result, though no doubt the prize money of just over $1 million for making the last four will spur additional celebrations.

Djokovic will play in his sixth final at Wimbledon but said that given the history of the tournament, every one of them was special.

“This has been a dream tournament for me from when I was a child, so to be in another final is a dream come true,” he said.

“Regardless of the history and the many finals I have played, to play in a final at Wimbledon is something different and I will definitely enjoy that.”

Bautista-Agut rifled a forehand winner on return to start the match, but from there on the Spaniard found the going difficult throughout the first set given the remarkable standard set by the world’s top player.

Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut returns against Djokovic.

Djokovic was more aggressive than usual and enjoyed success when coming forward in the early stages. And early on his sliced backhand proved effective as Bautista Agut, who hits a flatter ball, was unable to impart enough topspin on the ball to control it.

It took the maiden semi-finalist 18 minutes to get on the board. It was not that he was playing poorly, more that the Serbian was supreme.

And it was again the backhand slice that proved effective as Djokovic closed out the opening set, with an approach shot weighted to near the baseline drawing an error, before a chipped return caused Bautista Agut to over-hit a forehand.

And the statistics demonstrated Djokovic’s effectiveness at the net, with the world No 1 winning ten of the 14 points he came forward in the first set. Overall, he won 42 points from his 53 approaches.

The 31-year-old made a move early in the second set when breaking Djokovic for a 2-1 lead with a heavily-struck off-forehand.

Just as Bautista Agut seized the momentum, there was a delay of several minutes as a patron fell ill in the rows closest to the court. When play resumed, the powerful baseliner held two opportunities for a double-break but Djokovic was able to respond.

But after a sublime first set, his radar went askew in the second as the Spaniard tested him more regularly.

The 15-time major winner was not as convincing from the baseline, nor as committed when coming forward.

And when the outsider was able to clinch the set courtesy of a dead let chord at 5-4, 40-30, it was clear Djokovic was disturbed.

The crowd’s applause for the underdog prompted the defending champion to wave his arms in annoyance towards them.

And given their history this year, he had reason for concern. But, as John McEnroe said, the reaction from the crowd seemed to spark him.

“He handled what he thought was maybe the crowd getting behind the other guy too much and used it to energise himself and you have to love that,” McEnroe said on the BBC.

Djokovic had claimed the opening sets in their encounters in Doha and Miami, only for the Spaniard to edge him on both occasions.

But meeting the Serbian in a grand slam semi-final is a far tougher task than a regular tour match.

And the champion recalibrated his radar in the third set, in part due to the sheer number of shots he was forced to hit.

When serving for a 5-2 lead, he engaged in a 45 shot rally with his rival to save a break point. This example is as good as any to demonstrate the slowness of the court.

“I had to dig deeper. He was not really overwhelmed with the stadium and the occasion. He played really well,” Djokovic said.

“At the beginning of the second, he established himself and he started to play better. I got a bit tight and it was a very close opening four or five games of the third set and that is where the match could have gone different ways and I am glad it went my way.”

The opening game of the fourth set was a titanic struggle lasting 11 minutes as Djokovic threw everything at Bautista Agut in a bid to break him mentally and the Spaniard resisted with all his will, ultimately managing to hold his service game.

But Djokovic in this mental state is a tennis version of the Terminator. He keeps coming at his rivals.

And he was able to seize a service break a couple of games later to gain a stranglehold on the match.