Djokovic Moves Closer to 100th Career Title, Sabalenka Reaches First Miami Open Final
MIAMI (Reuters) – Novak Djokovic is now just two wins away from capturing his 100th career title after defeating Sebastian Korda 6-3, 7-6(4) in the Miami Open quarter-finals on Thursday. Meanwhile, world number one Aryna Sabalenka breezed into her first Miami Open final with a commanding 6-2, 6-2 victory over Jasmine Paolini.
Djokovic, who let out a triumphant roar after sealing match point with an ace, demonstrated his experience and resilience as he overcame a 5-2 deficit in the second set. The Serbian 24-time Grand Slam champion broke Korda at 5-3, and his precise and powerful serving helped him to the finish line.
“I’ve been serving great the entire tournament, but particularly today I needed it in the second to try to come back,” Djokovic said, reflecting on his performance. “In the tiebreak, a couple of points really decided the winner, 5-4 service winner, ace at 6-4 to finish off the match. So I’ll take that as the highlight.”
At 37, Djokovic became the oldest ATP Masters 1000 semi-finalist, surpassing Roger Federer, who reached the final four at 37 years and seven months in 2019.
The match, originally scheduled for Wednesday, was postponed due to ATP rules to prevent matches from running into the early hours of the morning. Djokovic will next face 14th-seeded Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov in the semi-finals on Friday, as he bids for a record seventh Miami Open title.
In other results, unseeded Czech Jakub Mensik triumphed over 17th-seeded Frenchman Arthur Fils 7-6(5), 6-1, and will face American Taylor Fritz in the semi-finals. Fritz battled through a tense encounter, saving six match points in the second set before eventually defeating 29th seed Matteo Berrettini 7-5, 6-7(7), 7-5.
“There’s two options, get frustrated about it, lose and then be even more frustrated about all the chances I blew, or regroup and get the win,” Fritz said, reflecting on his match. “Now I can sleep tonight.”
As Djokovic and Fritz set their sights on the semi-finals, Sabalenka’s dominant performance signals her rise to the final, where she will look to capture her first Miami Open title.