NOVAK DJOKOVIC advanced to his eight U.S. Open final Saturday following a comprehensive 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win over Japan’s Kei Nishikori, putting himself within one victory of a third title at Flushing Meadows.

Djokovic did not seek to keep his thoughts to himself on court, the way he mostly did through his first two U.S. Open matches. Instead, he let it all out, slapping his chest or sneering with a fist raised to celebrate success, pointing to his ear to ask the crowd for noise.

This was the Djokovic everyone is so accustomed to seeing — yes, winning on the Grand Slam stage, of course, as he always does in this magical season, but also animated and into it, encouraging the spectators to join him for the ride on his path toward tennis history.

“I don’t plan to have those kind of emotional moments on the court, whether good or bad. It just happens,” Djokovic said. “In the heat of the battle, when you feel like the moment is very important ... you just want to get those things out of yourself, out of your system — try to, I guess, ride on that energy wave that you create, whether it’s with yourself, whether it’s with the crowd.”

Djokovic, a 34-year-old from Serbia who is ranked No. 1, is now 24-0 in the sport’s four most important events this season, having won the Australian Open in February, the French Open in June and Wimbledon in July. The last man to go 4 for 4 at the majors was Rod Laver in 1969; Steffi Graf was the last woman, in 1988.

Djokovic also would earn his 21st career Slam trophy, breaking the men’s mark he currently shares with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. “I would not be honest fully if I told you I don’t think or I don’t believe or I don’t visualize that I can win every single Grand Slam that I play in,” Djokovic said. “I’m not surprised when I win Slams and big tournaments because that’s always a goal.”(SD-Agencies)