DUBAI: Roger Federer rolled back the years to beat Novak Djokovic 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the semi-finals of the Dubai Championship on Friday, his first victory in four meetings with the world number two.

Federer, 32, rarely troubled the Serb in the first set and the pivotal moment came at 2-2 in the second when the Swiss saved a break point with a delicious backhand pass.

The 17-times grand slam champion went on to hold serve and then broke in a rain-interrupted game — the players leaving the court for only a few minutes — with a backhand bullet from the baseline.

Federer clinched the set with an ace before Djokovic, 26, double-faulted in the first game of the decider to gift his opponent a crucial early break.

Earlier, world No.6 Tomas Berdych continued his new-found run of good form when he reached the final for the second successive year.

Berdych had not won an ATP Tour title for 16 months until he won Rotterdam this month, but the 7-5, 7-5 victory over Philipp Kohlschreiber, the seventh-seeded German was his 16th win in 17 matches.

Equally crucially Berdych was able to impose breaks of serve when it mattered most, at the end of each set, leaving his fluent but lighter-weight opponent with no chance to repair the damage.

“It feels absolutely great,” he said “I am pleased with today because it was a really tough win. It’s a pleasure getting to the final again here, a tournament which has such a strong field.

“My rhythm is much better than it was. It is important for me to be hitting the ball nicely and then my game really works.”

Kohlschreiber knew well the power Berdych can generate when allowed to, and volunteered before the match that he would aim to do something different to stop that. He had only ever prevailed once in their eight matches.

The plan involved dictating the patterns more, and trying to prevent Berdych from pushing him around. For almost a set, with his well-constructed orthodoxies, Kohlschreiber made it work effectively.

He was aided by Berdych’s labored start, double-faulting on the third point, and dropping his first service game. Nevertheless the German consolidated that break four times smartly.

Murray escapes

Andy Murray rallied from a set and a break down against Gilles Simon to advance to his first semi-final since he won last year’s Wimbledon title while top seed David Ferrer retired with a thigh strain at the Acapulco International on Thursday.

Second seed Murray twice fell behind in the second set but recovered both breaks immediately to eke out a 1-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 victory and stretch a winning streak against his French opponent to 12 matches.

“In all the matches so far this week, I have not started very well,” the world number seven told reporters, conceding he did not know what was to blame for his tardy openings.

“I lost my first service game in every match and that has not helped because my opponents have gained confidence and played very good tennis.

“It’s not easy starting every match from behind. I managed to turn the game at the end of the second set, started to play a little bit better. I was making sure I was not making so many unforced errors,” the Scot added.

“I found a way to win the match even though I was feeling I was not playing my best tennis. I’m glad that I managed to do that.

“Maybe I just try and warm-up better, maybe practice a little bit closer to the matches.”

Murray’s semi-finals opponent will be Grigor Dimitrov, who needed two hours and 40 minutes to battle past Ernests Gulbis 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 7-5 in the final quarter-final match of the day on Cancha Central.

An injury to his left abductor muscle denied Ferrer a chance of registering a fifth straight final appearance.

The three-time champion won the first set 6-2 but was 4-2 down in the second when he retired against South African fifth seed Kevin Anderson, who moves on to face Ukraine’s Alexandr Dolgopolov in the last four.