Federer Makes His Case - NYTimes.com "Nostalgia for the present" is how the writer Novella Carpenter defines happiness, and it's an apt description of how Roger Federer fans feel after his four-set victory over defending champion Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon on Friday. The sense of awe and appreciation for his sublime skills is tinged with a bittersweet feeling that not even Roger Federer is forever. But the will Federer displayed in Friday's bravura performance is a testament to this graceful champion's deep well of desire. Since 2010, when Federer's streak of reaching 23 straight Grand Slam semifinals ended with his loss to Robin Soderling at Roland Garros, there has been much discussion about Federer losing his grip on the game's top rung. With the ascendancy of Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal's wins at Roland Garros, many tennis observers began to wonder if Federer's Grand Slam total would remain stuck at 16. Coming into the semifinals Federer had survived an inspired performance from Julien Benneteau, who led two sets to love and was within two points of victory six times in the fourth set of their third round match. In the Round of 16, played on a chilly, blustery day, Federer overcame a stiff back and Xavier Malisse in four sets, but his form was uninspiring. Compared to Novak Djokovic, whose level of play was rising with each match, Federer's shots lacked weight and his movement on the grass looked less assured. Federer dispatched Mikhail Youzhny in a straight set clinic in the quarterfinals. He played at a much higher level, and his back posed no problems, as Federer made the resourceful Russian look hapless. But now Djokovic loomed in the semifinals. A month ago in Paris Djokovic took Federer apart, and the murmurings that Federer's best days were behind him grew louder. In that match, Federer looked confused about what tactics to play. He sprayed balls on his forehand, served inconsistently, and framed a dozen backhands in a straight set drubbing. The question in the minds of many tennis observers was: Is Federer on the decline? Friday's win was Federer's vehement rebuttal. He served with astonishing accuracy, holding the game's best returner to only one service break in four sets. He won 75 percent of points on his first serve, and 72 percent of second serve points, a phenomenally good percentage against Djokovic. Federer varied his serve placement masterfully. He used his favorite serve-the wide slice out wide in the deuce-to great effect, pulling Djokovic off court then pummeling a forehand winner into the open court. Too, he went flat at the backhand, and he was successful because he made Djokovic move laterally to make the return. This allowed Federer to keep control and dominance of the court on his serve. He also used the body serve artfully. This caught Djokovic by surprise a number of times. Federer also used his great whip of a forehand to keep Djokovic on the defensive. He directed many shots at Djokovic's forehand side, which, though fearsome, may be slightly less formidable than Djokovic's blistering backhand. He hit over his backhand to stay on the offensive, using the slice to change speeds or to defend. But the most remarkable weapon in the Federer arsenal was his will to win. After saving a break point at 4 all in the third set with a slice serve up the middle in the ad court, Federer visibly raised his level to break serve in the next game. He shouted "Come on!" after pounding a leaping, scissor-kick overhead past Djokovic on set point. He seemed to recall his slight letdown last September when he got broken early in the third and fourth sets after taking a two sets to love lead, and he redoubled his efforts to hold serve to open the fourth set. He broke a surprisingly dispirited Djokovic to go up 2-love, then held with a focused resolve that he maintained all the way to victory.