WIMBLEDON ROUND UP: Djokovic, Del-Potro, Murray and Janowicz all through to the Semis

Novak Djokovic reached the semi-finals of Wimbledon for the fourth straight year Today.

The top seed and 2011 champion executed a superb display of controlled tennis from the baseline to beat seventh seed and 2010 runner-up Tomas Berdych 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-3 in two hours and 15 minutes on No. 1 Court.

"Generally, it was a very close match and that's what I expected," said Djokovic. "Tomas is a very powerful player. We went toe-to-toe in the first set and one shot decided a first set winner. That was important for me to get the set advantage. Even though I started poorly in the second, I still felt quite good on the court. [I’m] just really glad to win in three."

Now only eighth seed Juan Martin del Potro stands in the way of the Djokovic reaching his 11th major championship final (6-4 overall).

The Argentine who will play the World number 1 in his first Grand Slam semi-final since 2009 defeated David Ferrer 6-2, 6-4, 7-6(5) in a terrific display of shot-making.

"Many things came to my mind after the match point," said del Potro. "It's my first semi-final here, another semi-final in a Grand Slam after a couple of years. I think I'm in the fight again with the top guys. That is my challenge for the future. And to be one of the four players left in this tournament, it means a lot for the future and for myself.

"I think I played my best tennis of the tournament. I'm so, so happy to be in the semi-finals. I played my best tennis. I hit really well my forehand and serve. At the end I played my best forehand ever in Wimbledon. I'm lucky the ball was in. It was a big performance from me. I'm so, so happy with my level at this moment. I beat one of the best players this season."

The Argentine is bidding to reach his second Grand Slam final, having defeated Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer back-to-back to win the 2009 US Open crown. He has a 3-8 FedEx ATP Head2Head record against the Serb, but those wins include victory in the bronze medal match on grass at the London 2012 Olympics and in March this year in the Indian Wells semi-finals, which was their last meeting.

"I will need to be 100 per cent or 110 per cent against him. He's the No. 1. He's a former champion here," said del Potro. "It's going to be a more difficult match for me like today. But if I'm okay, if I do everything good to be ready for my next match, I will be excited to play against him. I remember the match during the Olympics last year on the same surface. But this time the pressure is different. I will try to be ready and do my best."

"Of course del Potro has the chance to be in the final," said Ferrer. "He won one Grand Slam. He's a young player. I think he has everything to win another Grand Slam. He can do it."

Should he beat Djokovic, del Potro would be the first Argentine finalist at Wimbledon since 2002, when David Nalbandian finished runner-up to Lleyton Hewitt.

Andy Murray also progressed to the Semis after he came back from two sets down for the seventh time in his career with a 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-5 victory over Fernando Verdasco.

The Scot is bidding to reach his seventh Grand Slam final and fourth in a row, having finished runner-up at Wimbledon last year (l. to Federer), before winning his first major title at the US Open (d. Djokovic) and then losing in the Australian Open final this year (l. to Djokovic). He was forced to miss last month’s Roland Garros due to a back injury.

Murray improved to a 9-1 FedEx ATP Head2Head record over Verdasco with victory in three hours and 26 minutes on Centre Court. It is the second time Murray has rescued a two-set deficit at SW19, having beaten Richard Gasquet in five sets in the 2008 fourth round. 

The 26-year-old Murray will contest the semi-finals at the All England Club for the fifth year in a row and will face first-time Grand Slam semi-finalist Jerzy Janowicz. Murray has a 1-1 FedEx ATP Head2Head record against Janowicz, losing to the Pole in their most recent meeting at the 2012 BNP Paribas Masters in Paris.

Jerzy Janowicz, the No. 24 seed, who is competing in just his fifth major championship, stands one match away from reaching the final at The Championships.

Janowicz kept his nerve to win the battle of the poles after defeating Lukasz Kubot 7-5, 6-4, 6-4 on Wednesday on No. 1 Court. It was the 40th tour-level match win of his career. At the end, they swapped match shirts. Janowicz was in tears.

At 22 years, 236 days, Janowicz is the youngest man to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals since Andy Murray (22 years, 51 days) in 2009. He could next meet second seed Murray or Fernando Verdasco.