Norrie broke in the 1st game of the match en route to taking the opening set of match 6-2, but Djokovic roared back in scorching temperatures to level the game after one hour and 15 minutes.
Norrie tried to pump up the crowd and draw them in, but Djokovic couldn't deny him, tightening his service win as he seemingly broke the British No. 1 at will to set up a final against Nick Kyrgios.
There was added pressure to provide maximum entertainment for the center court crowd, all of whom had turned down the offer of a full refund due to the lack of a second men's semi-final.
So when Norrie won the first point of the match, Center gave a standing ovation, followed by an excited murmur, as 15,000 people said the same thing: "He couldn't, could he?"
They all exchanged embarrassed and knowing glances when Djokovic fell back a game later, but Norrie's command of his opponent's serve was not exceptional. He broke twice more in the set to win 6-2 in just over half an hour, and while 28-degree temperatures meant a shift change was necessary, he hadn't broken a sweat.
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