Djokovic-Federer and Murray-Nadal: The Perfect Semis of the 2011 US Open

Tennis fans have something they can really relish.

In fact, the whole sports world should be focused on Flushing Meadows, NY, the site of the US Open Men's Semifinals, this Saturday afternoon.

Forget the NFL, consign to the background the already decided baseball pennant races, and those of you immersed in your particular “minor” sports, get unattached for one day this weekend. You will not regret it.

Sports needs great rivalries, great drama, great battles. They thrive on it. It doesn't get any better than what's upcoming on the US Open hard courts, during the Men's Semis, Saturday.

The Men's Semifinals of this year's US Open are incredibly entertaining. The top four seeds, Andy Murray (No. 4 seed), Roger Federer (No. 3 seed), Rafael Nadal(No. 2 seed), and Novak Djokovic(No. 1 seed) will all be playing. And they are playing well. Furthermore, each hungers to topple the other.

For example, in the first semifinal, if you don't think Roger Federer desperately wishes to vanquish Novak Djokovic, think again. It's kind of personal. Djokovic, currently 62-2, and the winner of the 2011 Australian and Wimbledon major titles, has stolen all of Federer's usual tennis spotlight this year.

Indeed Roger Federer, winner of 16 major championships, has been reduced to the least likeliest of the four competitors to win. That's how good the Men's Semis are.

Rafael Nadal, who was the No.1 player in the world in early 2011, has since had that distinction stripped from him by Djokovic. Nadal lusts to lick Djokovic for good. He first has to get past stylish Andy Murray.

Mr. Murray just defeated Novak Djokovic at the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters two weeks ago. Murray has two titles this year. He is so close to winning a major he can taste it. He has made at least the semifinals of every major tournament in 2011.

To many, Andy Murray is the favorite to win this year's US Open. The logic is this: Nadal may be just a little below his peak, Federer is past his peak and Djokovic may have already peaked too much. Therefore Andy Murray is the bad moon rising.

Front-running Novak Djokovic understands completely that for him and his newfound publicity machine to get deeper into the public consciousness—and for him to culminate what could be called the greatest year in tennis—he has to win the US Open. There is no other way.

Djokovic desires recognizable superstardom in the worst way. Look at him on the court with his sweeping fist pumps, his gestures to his ear and his steely swagger, and you can tell.

The compelling thing about all four of these fiery aspirants for the coveted US Open title is that they have that filthy, burning desire for this particular crown and they will fight to the last point to win this one. That's their nature.

Not since the likes of 1992, when Stefan Edberg, Jim Courier, Michael Change and Pete Sampras waged titanic warfare, has a Men's US Open Semifinal been so swayingly urgent to view.

It's imperative: Watch!