Djokovic Holds Off Federer at Australian Open

In just a matter of days, Novak Djokovic went from toiling in an error-strewn existence to Mr. Clean.

The world No. 1 held off a late charge from Roger Federer, winning 6-1, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 to reach the Australian Open final once again.

In the fourth round, Djokovic committed an outrageous 100 errors against Gilles Simon, a match that left the Serb contemplating his chances to add to his five titles Down Under. Then, two days ago, he wasn't much crisper versus Kei Nishikori.

But Thursday against the third-ranked Federer, Djokovic played tidy tennis for much of their 2-hour, 19-minute matchup, finishing with 33 winners and only 20 misfires.

"In the end of the day you are battling yourself the most," Djokovic said of his turnaround. "There are so many players out there that are hitting the ball well.

"Whether or not you're able to cope with the pressure in these particular moments, fighting against some of the best players in the world for the major trophy, you know, of course there's a lot at stake. Emotions are going up and down. It's important to keep it together."

Djokovic's message was clear from the start against Federer: The 10-time major champion won 12 of the first 14 points en route to a two-set lead in just 54 minutes.