Novak Djokovic one win away from 100th title after dominant Miami Open semi-final
Novak Djokovic is on the brink of his 100th career singles title after a commanding 6-2, 6-3 victory over Grigor Dimitrov on Friday, securing a spot in the Miami Open final. The Serbian superstar will face unseeded Czech teenager Jakub Mensik in Sunday’s championship match.
Despite being broken in the opening game, Djokovic quickly responded, breaking back immediately and again for a 4-2 lead as Dimitrov mis-hit a forehand. The 14th seed struggled to keep up, and Djokovic closed out the first set when a volley from the Bulgarian sailed long. Carrying that momentum into the second set, Djokovic raced to a 3-0 advantage before sealing the match with an unreturnable serve on his second match point. His win improved his head-to-head record against Dimitrov to 13-1.
"After that first game, where I don't think I did anything wrong he just played a phenomenal game to break my serve, I just felt I was in the flow," Djokovic told the Tennis Channel. "I was playing all the right shots, making him play an extra shot ... overall another great straight-sets win to put myself in a fantastic position to fight for a trophy in two days'."
The fourth seed’s serving display in Miami has been nothing short of exceptional, missing just six first serves while firing five aces and committing only one double fault. His form is reminiscent of his peak performances, with Djokovic comparing his current level to his gold medal-winning run at the Paris Games last summer.
"When I play like this, everything is enjoyable and I forget about the age and I forget about the struggles," he said. "I've been enjoying myself. I haven't played in Miami in six years and the love and support I've received over the last 10 days here has been really special. I'm very grateful. I did not expect so much support and I’ve been riding that wave. I’ve been trying to use that in my favor."
A victory on Sunday would mark Djokovic’s seventh Miami Open title, breaking his tie with Andre Agassi for the most championships at the Masters 1000 event. Among those in attendance at Hard Rock Stadium was Inter Miami star Lionel Messi, with Djokovic expressing his admiration for the Argentine legend.
"Amazing to have him, a great honor," Djokovic said. "I admire him as most of the world for most of his career so it’s amazing that he keeps going. We're the same age, born in '87, so it's quite nice to have him around."
In the other semi-final, 19-year-old Mensik stunned American third seed Taylor Fritz in a dramatic 7-6(4), 4-6, 7-6(4) victory under the lights. The Czech youngster fired 25 aces and won both tiebreaks despite failing to break Fritz’s serve. His only previous meeting with Djokovic was a tight three-setter in Shanghai last year, and he enters his first Masters 1000 final full of confidence.
"For me it was a dream to play against (Djokovic)," Mensik said. "But now it's a bit different. I am a better player now. I'm going to enjoy it, it's going to be really exciting. Let's see what's going to happen on Sunday."
SportsLigue