<p> Argentine Juan Martin del Potro recovered from a horrible early fall to overpower David Ferrer 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) and reach the Wimbledon semifinals for the first time on Wednesday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The towering eighth seed said he had been on the verge of pulling out when he injured his already-bandaged left knee after skidding on the fifth point of the match and crashing down in a heap.<br /><br />But after lengthy treatment and a pain-killing pill the 24-year-old former US Open champion returned to the court to produce one of the best displays of his career.<br />Using his condor-like wingspan to make up for any lack of movement, Del Potro unfolded his right arm to deliver a barrage of mighty serves and thumping forehands.<br /><br />His forehand was unplayable at times and it was fitting that he finally broke the dogged resistance of fourth seed Ferrer with his 22nd clean winner from that flank.<br /><br />Novak Djokovic showcased his full catalogue of acrobatic skills and on-court nous as he broke down the defences of Czech Tomas Berdych to reach his 13th successive Grand Slam semifinal with a 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, 6-3 win.<br /><br />The Serbian World No 1 performed the splits and pulled off lunging volleys as Berdych tried to throw him off balance by bombarding the 2011 champion’s half of the court with an onslaught of winners.<br /><br />However, Djokovic kept his wits about him even when he trailed by two breaks and was 3-0 down in the second set. Berdych surrendered the set when he slapped an easy forehand into the net and from then there was only one winner.<br /><br />Djokovic sealed the win when the Czech seventh seed smacked a forehand into the net and he will meet Del Potro for a place in Sunday's final. <br /><br />“It was the same thing as my third-round match,” Del Potro, who injured his knee when falling on Saturday against Grega Zemlja, told the BBC.<br /><br />“I was very close (to pulling out) because I felt a lot of pain in the beginning of the match, it was exactly the same like I did before. I twisted my knee once again and the doctor gave me some magic pills and I could finish the match.”<br /><br />Del Potro’s medical team will work overtime to patch him up for a semifinal against Djokovic on Friday. “I think it’s going to be dangerous if I'm not careful in the next few days,” he said. <br /><br />All eyes were on Del Potro’s movement in the opening few games and he looked far from mobile as Ferrer tried to stretch him wide, particularly on the backhand side.<br /><br />Even when fully fit the 6’6’’ Del Potro appears to lumber around the court, although his speed is deceptive.<br /><br />Forced to take the initiative to avoid getting the runaround by the relentless Ferrer, who will become World No 3 on Monday, Del Potro began unleashing thunderous forehands to leave the Spaniard floundering.<br /><br />The bandaged Del Potro broke twice to win the first set and clinched the second after Ferrer cracked at 4-4, slicing a weary-looking backhand into the net after another onslaught from the Argentine.<br /><br />Ferrer seemed to lack the usual spring in his step, possibly because of a toe injury that has been nagging him since reaching the French Open final, but he hung on grimly to force a third set tie-break.<br /><br />Del Potro sensed danger when he was 15-30 down on his serve at 4-5 but delivered a towering ace that Ferrer referred to a Hawkeye challenge more out of desperation than genuine hope.<br /><br />Ferrer fell behind in the tie-break but again dug deep to put pressure on Del Potro.<br />There was no escape, however, and after a long baseline rally which had the players scrurrying from side to side, Del Potro launched a forehand missile to clinch victory and this time collapsed to the turf in joy rather than pain.<br /><br /></p>
<p> Argentine Juan Martin del Potro recovered from a horrible early fall to overpower David Ferrer 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) and reach the Wimbledon semifinals for the first time on Wednesday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The towering eighth seed said he had been on the verge of pulling out when he injured his already-bandaged left knee after skidding on the fifth point of the match and crashing down in a heap.<br /><br />But after lengthy treatment and a pain-killing pill the 24-year-old former US Open champion returned to the court to produce one of the best displays of his career.<br />Using his condor-like wingspan to make up for any lack of movement, Del Potro unfolded his right arm to deliver a barrage of mighty serves and thumping forehands.<br /><br />His forehand was unplayable at times and it was fitting that he finally broke the dogged resistance of fourth seed Ferrer with his 22nd clean winner from that flank.<br /><br />Novak Djokovic showcased his full catalogue of acrobatic skills and on-court nous as he broke down the defences of Czech Tomas Berdych to reach his 13th successive Grand Slam semifinal with a 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, 6-3 win.<br /><br />The Serbian World No 1 performed the splits and pulled off lunging volleys as Berdych tried to throw him off balance by bombarding the 2011 champion’s half of the court with an onslaught of winners.<br /><br />However, Djokovic kept his wits about him even when he trailed by two breaks and was 3-0 down in the second set. Berdych surrendered the set when he slapped an easy forehand into the net and from then there was only one winner.<br /><br />Djokovic sealed the win when the Czech seventh seed smacked a forehand into the net and he will meet Del Potro for a place in Sunday's final. <br /><br />“It was the same thing as my third-round match,” Del Potro, who injured his knee when falling on Saturday against Grega Zemlja, told the BBC.<br /><br />“I was very close (to pulling out) because I felt a lot of pain in the beginning of the match, it was exactly the same like I did before. I twisted my knee once again and the doctor gave me some magic pills and I could finish the match.”<br /><br />Del Potro’s medical team will work overtime to patch him up for a semifinal against Djokovic on Friday. “I think it’s going to be dangerous if I'm not careful in the next few days,” he said. <br /><br />All eyes were on Del Potro’s movement in the opening few games and he looked far from mobile as Ferrer tried to stretch him wide, particularly on the backhand side.<br /><br />Even when fully fit the 6’6’’ Del Potro appears to lumber around the court, although his speed is deceptive.<br /><br />Forced to take the initiative to avoid getting the runaround by the relentless Ferrer, who will become World No 3 on Monday, Del Potro began unleashing thunderous forehands to leave the Spaniard floundering.<br /><br />The bandaged Del Potro broke twice to win the first set and clinched the second after Ferrer cracked at 4-4, slicing a weary-looking backhand into the net after another onslaught from the Argentine.<br /><br />Ferrer seemed to lack the usual spring in his step, possibly because of a toe injury that has been nagging him since reaching the French Open final, but he hung on grimly to force a third set tie-break.<br /><br />Del Potro sensed danger when he was 15-30 down on his serve at 4-5 but delivered a towering ace that Ferrer referred to a Hawkeye challenge more out of desperation than genuine hope.<br /><br />Ferrer fell behind in the tie-break but again dug deep to put pressure on Del Potro.<br />There was no escape, however, and after a long baseline rally which had the players scrurrying from side to side, Del Potro launched a forehand missile to clinch victory and this time collapsed to the turf in joy rather than pain.<br /><br /></p>