Djokovic Breaks Federer's Record as Oldest ATP Masters 1000 Semi-Finalist
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Synopsis
In a historic quarterfinal match, Novak Djokovic defeated Sebastian Korda to become the oldest ATP Masters 1000 semi-finalist. At 37 years and 10 months, he surpasses Roger Federer’s previous record.
Key Takeaways
- Novak Djokovic defeated Sebastian Korda 6-3, 7-6(4) in Miami.
- Djokovic is now the oldest ATP Masters 1000 semi-finalist at 37 years and 10 months.
- He is aiming for his seventh title in Miami and a 100th overall trophy.
- Djokovic will face Grigor Dimitrov next in the semifinals.
- Taylor Fritz continues his winning streak against Matteo Berrettini.
Miami, March 28 (NationPress) The Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic triumphed over Sebastian Korda with a score of 6-3, 7-6(4) in a quarterfinal match that had been rescheduled from Wednesday, making him the oldest ATP Masters 1000 semi-finalist in the history of the tournament.
At the age of 37 years and 10 months, Djokovic has set a new record for being the oldest ATP Masters 1000 semi-finalist (since its inception in 1990), surpassing Roger Federer, who reached the semifinals in Indian Wells and Miami at 37 years and 7 months in 2019.
This marks Djokovic's eighth semifinal appearance in Miami and his record-extending 79th at the Masters 1000 level. He is set to face 14th seed Grigor Dimitrov, against whom he holds a significant lead of 12-1 in their ATP Head-to-Head series.
The Serbian, aiming for his record-breaking seventh title in South Florida and his 100th tour-level trophy, is looking to surpass Andre Agassi for the most titles at the ATP Masters 1000 event.
Djokovic exhibited near-perfect serving in the first set, conceding only one point on his first serve. He finished the first set strongly by winning the last 12 points, as recorded by ATP Stats.
Korda initially surged to a 3-0 advantage in the second set and even served for it at 5-3. However, Djokovic elevated his performance, engaging in longer rallies at critical moments and inducing errors from the American, who was just two points away from winning the set at 6-5, ultimately clinching the match in a tiebreak.
In other matches, Taylor Fritz recovered spectacularly after squandering six match points in a gripping second set to maintain his flawless record against Matteo Berrettini.
The American third seed overcame the Italian with scores of 7-5, 6-7(7), 7-5 in a thrilling two-hour and 44-minute quarterfinal.
Fritz is now in his sixth ATP Masters 1000 semifinal and his first in Miami. Next, he will meet Czech player Jakub Mensik, who is making his debut in an ATP Masters 1000 semifinal.
