NEW YORK — A year ago, Roger Federer held double-match point on Novak Djokovic in the U.S. Open semifinals.

During those moments, Federer admitted he allowed his mind to wander ahead to the thought of playing his arch-rival Rafael Nadal in the final the following day.

Beating Djokovic and Nadal on back-to-back days would have been a tough task for the then-29-year-old Federer and that thought crept into his mind.

“It is true that I did think of the Rafa final and the prospect, you know, trying to get there without maybe losing too much energy,” Federer said after dispatching No. 11 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 to advance to his eighth straight U.S. Open semifinal. “Maybe that was one of the reasons I was not able to stay tougher in two of the sets I lost, actually.

“Still should have won the match, maybe, but it’s just a tough prospect.”

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For the fourth year in a row, weather has forced a Monday men’s final at the U.S. Open.

Because rain knocked out play Tuesday and Wednesday, officials changed the schedule and moved the women’s final to Sunday at 4 p.m. from Saturday in primetime and the men’s final to Monday at 4 p.m. instead of Sunday at that hour.

“We revised the schedule for the remainder of the 2011 US Open in an effort to be fair to the players and our ticketholders,” Open tournament director Jim Curley said in a statement. “This is the result of a collaborative effort with the players, CBS Sports and tournament officials to address the issues that arose from the inclement weather earlier this week.”

The remaining two men’s quarterfinals — John Isner-Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal-Andy Roddick — will begin at noon on Friday. (more…)

NEW YORK — Giovanni Auricchio of Brazil found himself high up in the Court 13 stands on a hot and humid Thursday afternoon at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

Thanks to Mother Nature and a water bubble issue on the court in Louis Armstrong Stadium, Auricchio got an up-close look as No. 21 Andy Roddick knocked out No. 5 David Ferrer, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, in a fourth-round match that set up a quarterfinal showdown Friday with defending champion Rafael Nadal.

“Amazing, amazing,” Auricchio told SNY.tv. “This was supposed to be in [Louis Armstrong] Stadium and having the match here in Court 13 was awesome. You’re so close to the players, you know? So nice.” (more…)

NEW YORK — Rafael Nadal lashed out at U.S. Open officials because of the way he was treated during a rainy Wednesday at the U.S. Open.

“We don’t feel protected, the players,” the defending Open champion told ESPN’s Pam Shriver after play was suspended in his match with Gilles Muller.

“We don’t feel protected [by] the tournament. Grand Slams is lot of money, and we are part of the show — they are just working for that, not for us. They call us on court, cannot be possible. They dry the court for 45 minutes, but the rain never stops. The court was dry for 10 minutes but they know after 10 minutes we have to go out [of] the court another time and they still put us out on court, for the fans. I understand the fans are there, but, you know, health and the players are important. We are part of the show too, and we don’t feel protected.” (more…)

NEW YORK — In her new home in Los Angeles, Serena Williams has a karaoke room and a gentlemen’s lounge.

But she’s running out of room for her tennis trophies.

“I don’t have any more space,” said Williams, who has won 39 career singles titles and 20 more in doubles. “I would love to keep winning them. But we’re like, ‘OK, what are we going to do with this one?’”

If she can win three more matches this week, Williams will have to make room for another U.S. Open trophy and an oversized check for $1 million for winning the U.S Open summer series and the Open itself.

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NEW YORK — Mother Nature may have hurt Rafael Nadal’s chances at a U.S. Open repeat.

After Tuesday’s day and night sessions were cancelled because of rain, Nadal would now have to win four matches in five days to repeat, whereas Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic must only win three matches in five days — assuming the finals are held as scheduled on Sunday.

“Absolutely,” ESPN commentator Pam Shriver told SNY.tv Tuesday. “I don’t know if it’s because [Federer's] got the 16 majors or he works the scheduling better, I always feel like he gets out in front.” (more…)

NEW YORK — Novak Djokovic says the Balkan Wars of the 1990s made Serbian athletes like himself tough, resourceful and, ultimately, successful.

“There is something in the mentality that obviously helps us to be here, helped us to be successful in what we do,” Djokovic, born in 1987, said Monday after his 7-6, 6-4, 6-2 fourth-round U.S. Open victory over Alexandr Dolgopolov improved his 2011 record to 61-2.

“We all experienced the war, we have all experienced the tough times back home, struggles to have the right conditions to become a professional player. (more…)

NEW YORK — Spike is a Serena fan.

Knicks fan extraordinaire Spike Lee sat in Serena Williams’ players’ box Monday during her 6-3, 6-4 rout of Ana Ivanovic at the U.S. Open.

Lee believes that Serena, despite being the No. 28 seed, will win her fourth U.S. Open title and 14th major championship.

“She’s gonna,” he told CBSSports.com in a video interview. (more…)

NEW YORK — The Serena Express rolls on.

Serena Williams, the No. 28 seed, rolled over No. 16 Ana Ivanovic and into the U.S. Open quarterfinals Monday with a 6-3, 6-4 victory inside a windy Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Knicks fan extraordinaire Spike Lee sat in Serena’s player’s box for a match that lasted just 1 hour, 14 minutes.

Williams, who remains the prohibitive favorite despite her low seed, will next meet 20-year-old Russian, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, the No. 17 seed, in the quarters.

The Russian upset No. 7 Francesca Schiavone, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, in 2 hours, 41 minutes.

“As I said even before the match, I think she’s the favorite for the tournament,” Ivanovic said of Serena. “She’s been playing really well, and it’s gonna be tough, you know.”

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NEW YORK — As he was about to serve on triple-match point Sunday at the U.S. Open, Donald Young looked at his family and friends in his player’s box and stuck out his tongue Michael Jordan-style.

When his opponent, No. 24 Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina, smacked a forehand wide, the overflow crowd surrounding the Grandstand court let loose a wild round of applause and Young pounded his chest and did a little dance at midcourt.

“It’s him at peace and he’s finally done what he needed to do,” his mother and coach, Illona Young, told SNY.tv as she left the stadium.

“I think he was just happy, I’m happy for him,” his father, Donald Young Sr., added. (more…)