Novak Djokovic ousts ailing defending champ Marin Cilic in 85 minutes
— -- NEW YORK -- Unlike the women's tournament, which earlier saw the shocking departure of its two top seeds, the men's event is progressing precisely as envisioned.
No. 1 seed Novak Djokovic sailed into Sunday's US Open final with a comprehensive 6-0, 6-1, 6-2 beatdown of defending champion Marin Cilic. It was over in 85 minutes, clearly accelerated by an ankle injury Cilic carried into the match.
In terms of games, it was the most one-sided US Open men's semifinal in the Open era. Only Bjorn Borg's 6-1, 6-0, 6-1 victory over Corrado Barazzutti in the 1978 French Open featured fewer dropped games for the winner in an Open era Grand Slam semifinal.
Djokovic will face the winner of the other semifinal match, between No. 2 seed Roger Federer and No. 5 seed Stan Wawrinka.
"It's not easy knowing your opponent is not 100 percent," Djokovic said in his on-court interview. "Obviously, I executed the game plan."
Djokovic has now won each of his 14 career matches against Cilic, taking 34 of 39 sets.
Cilic, 26, saw his 12-match winning streak at the US Open end abruptly.
Cilic had spent more time on court than any of the semifinalists entering the match. He looked weary, and his movement was compromised.
While Serena Williams has been generating most of the headlines this season, Djokovic, 28, is quietly compiling a sensational season. He's 62-5 for the year and could equal Williams' three major titles in 2015 with a victory here Sunday.
Djokovic hurried through the first set so quickly, he might have been mistaken for a New Yorker. The 6-foot frame ran all of 24 minutes, and it was only the second time this year Cilic has been bageled. The first? Earlier this year in Monte Carlo, also to Djokovic.
Djokovic won 83 of 122 points overall and broke Cilic's serve eight times.
Djokovic, the best men's player on hard courts for the past five years, has now reached his 16th final in the past 21 majors, going back to the 2010 US Open. He has also reached all four major finals this year, the first time he's achieved the feat in his career.
"Of course it's a great achievement, and I'm very proud of it," Djokovic said. "These are the tournaments where you want to perform your best."
