2014 US Open Tennis Day 10 Results, Scores, Highlights: Novak Djokovic Defeats Andy Murray; Kei Nishikori Advances

By Paul John Rivera First Posted: Sep 04, 2014 09:28 AM EDT

Novak Djokovic booked a spot in the semifinals of the 2014 U.S. Open tournament with a masterful 7-6 (1), 6-7 (1), 6-2, 6-4 victory over Andy Murray in their quarter-final showdown on Wednesday at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York.

The two tennis superstars went toe-to-toe in the first two sets, which featured several long rallies, but Murray faded in the third and fourth sets as Djokovic cruised to the convincing victory.

"I knew coming into tonight's match that it's going to be tough, that he's going to go for his shots and the more aggressive one would win it," Djokovic said via ESPN. "I'm glad I managed to stay fit in the end and pull it through."

Murray, who failed to duplicate his feat during the 2012 edition of the Grand Slam event, admitted after the match that Djokovic was simply in a better shape than him on Wednesday night.

"I got stiff in my hips and my back. I don't know exactly why," Murray said. "I didn't hurt anything. It was just, I think, fatigue."

With the win, Djokovic reached the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis tournament for the eighth straight year, and is now one win away from making the finals of the Grand Slam event for the fifth consecutive year.

Djokovic, who lost to Rafael Nadal in last year's final, will go up against Kei Nishikori of Japan, who advanced to the semifinals with a hard-earned 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7), 6-7 (5), 6-4 victory against third-seeded Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland.

Nishikori, the 10th-seeded player in the tournament, became the first Japanese to reach the U.S. Open semifinals since Ichiya Kumagae reached the final four of the event in 1918.

On the women's side, Serena Williams marched on to the semifinals with an easy 6-3, 6-2 win against Flavia Pennetta of Italy.

Williams, who is eyeing a third straight title at Flushing Meadows, will face Ekaterina Makarova in the semifinals after the 17th-seeded Russian defeated Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 6-2.