Federer: Winning a slam is never easy

Roger Federer reminded his nearest rivals just how difficult it is to win grand slam titles as he prepared to face Novak Djokovic in Saturday’s US Open semi-finals, weather permitting.

With persistent heavy rain in New York threatening a Monday finish for the second year in a row, the men’s semi-final line up had yet to be settled this evening as third seed Rafael Nadal and number 11 Fernando Gonzalez waited to complete their quarter-final at Flushing Meadows.