Novak Djokovic has once again proven his dominance in tennis by becoming the oldest player to reach a Masters 1000 semi-final. The 37-year-old Serbian star secured his spot in the last four of the Miami Open with a commanding 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) victory over American Sebastian Korda.
Djokovic started strong, breaking Korda early in the first set and maintaining control to secure the lead. Korda, however, fought back in the second set, forcing a tie-break. Despite the American’s resilience, Djokovic showed his experience and composure, sealing the win with a powerful ace.
My Best Serving Performance in a Long Time
The 24-time Grand Slam champion credited his serve as the key to his success, winning 84% of his first-serve points.
“One word, serve. I was serving very well, probably the best serving performance, not just here, but in a long time,” Djokovic told reporters after the match. “Eleven aces, when I needed to find the first serve. It makes life easier on the court when you are feeling your serve. I needed it in the second set when I think Korda was feeling his ground strokes much better.”
Djokovic, a six-time Miami Open champion, last won the tournament in 2016. He is now aiming for his seventh title and a milestone 100th career singles title.
He said, “I am obviously playing the best tennis I have played in quite some time. It’s great when I experience tournaments like this and performances like this. It motivates me and encourages me to keep going for more.”
Djokovic will now face Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov in the semi-finals on Friday.
Teen Sensation Mensik Reaches First Masters Semi-Final
Czech teenager Jakub Mensik stunned the crowd by reaching his first-ever Masters semi-final after defeating France’s Arthur Fils 7-6 (7/5), 6-1.
Fils had shocked the tournament earlier by defeating top seed Alexander Zverev, but he struggled against the powerful 19-year-old Mensik. The Czech’s strong serve and aggressive play were too much for the Frenchman, who showed signs of fatigue after back-to-back three-set battles.
“It feels incredible. I think the biggest result so far in my career, so I’m glad I just kept going since the first round,” said Mensik. “That’s the key, to keep the focus during the two weeks because it’s always tough. The job is not done.”
Mensik started strong, breaking early for a 4-1 lead, but Fils fought back to force a tie-break in the first set. However, Mensik held his nerve, winning the tie-break and dominating the second set to claim victory in just 75 minutes.
Ranked 54th in the world, Mensik will now face American third seed Taylor Fritz in the semi-finals.
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Fritz Battles Past Berrettini in Three-Set Thriller
Taylor Fritz secured his place in the semi-finals after an intense three-set battle against Italy’s Matteo Berrettini, winning 7-5, 6-7 (7/9), 7-5.
Berrettini showed remarkable resilience, saving six match points in the second set tie-break before pushing the match into a deciding set.
“Obviously gave myself a lot of chances throughout the match. I wish I could have made it happen in the second set,” Fritz admitted. “I think I made it extremely tough for myself. He raised his level and played really well in the third, so I had to work extra hard to win the third set and raise my level as well.”
With both players holding serve deep into the final set, Fritz finally broke Berrettini to go 6-5 up before serving out the match.
“I think I showed one of my biggest strengths in resetting and being able to win the third,” he added.