Almost a decade later, the Serbian Novak Djokovic He returned this Thursday to the semifinals of the Miami open And it was placed only two steps from Title 100 of your careerwhile Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula They were cited for the female final.
At 37 years and 10 months, Djokovic was erected as the most veteran semifinalist of a 1000 Masters category and thus snatched another brand from Roger Federer, who succeeded twice in 2019 with 37 years and seven months.
His victim in the quarterfinals was the American Sebastian Korda, which he defeated 6-3 and 7-6 (7-4) in a postponed game Wednesday night for exceeding the starting schedule.
The son of the former Czech Petry Korda came to have a 5-2 advantage in the second set, but Djokovic found a providential ‘break’ and certified the victory with his sharp service.
Djokovic’s best moment
“In a word: serve,” said the Serbian about the key to his victory. “It has probably been my best service not only here, but in a long time.”
The Balkan giant competes in Miami for the first time since 2019. He did not step on the semifinals since he raised the last of his six crowns in 2016.
Now two victories are found to lift title 100 of his legendary career, in which he has a record of 24 Grand Slam trophies.
His rival in the semifinals on Friday will be the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, runner -up of the last edition, which he has defeated in 12 of his previous 13 duels.
Fritz knocks Berrettini
On the way to its centenary title, Djokovic has no favors eliminated as Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev or the world number one, Jannik Sinner, who cannot defend the crown in Florida for his doping suspension.
The other member of the Top-10 of the ATP that follows in Liza is the American Taylor Fritz (4), who needed almost three hours of battle to knock the Italian Matteo Berrettini (30) by 7-5, 6-7 (7/9) and 7-5.
Berrettini survived six game balls in the second set to take the duel to the decisive sleeve, in which Fritz had to row until in the eleventh game he found the decisive ‘break’.
The Californian, semifinalist of the last open of the United States, will now be measured with the young Czech tennis player Jakub Mensik, who will debut in a semifinals of Masters 1000.
Mesik, 19, won that right to overcome French Arthur Fils, 20, 7-6 (7/5) and 6-1.
Pegula ends with Eala’s floor
In the women’s tournament, Aryna Sabalenka rolled the Italian Jasmine Paolini and landed in her first final of this WTA 1000 event.
The world number one got rid of Paolini (6) for a double 6-2 in a 71-minute demolition work at the Hard Rock Stadium.
The Belarusian, winner of three Grand Slam tournaments, will thus have a second chance to be crowned in the current American track tour after her defeat this month at the WTA 1000 of Indian Wells before the Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva.
Sabalenkka will face the title to the American Jessica Pegula, who will also premiere in a Miami final.
In a semifinal that lengthened beyond midnight, the World Cup number ended the dream route of the young Filipina Alexandra Eala 7-6 (7/3), 5-7 and 6-3.
Eala, World Cup number 140, let out a ball to appropriate the first set and, although an ankle was twisted in the second, struggled for almost three hours in search of a new feat in Miami.
At 19, this student of the Rafael Nadal Academy amazed the world of tennis eliminating the former world number one IgA Swiatek and two other Grand Slam champions, Madison Keys and Jelena Ostapenko.
– Results on Thursday at the Miami Open:
– Women
Semifinals
Aryna Sabalenka (Blr/N.1) defeated Jasmine Paolini (ITA/N.6) 6-2, 6-2
Jessica Pegula (USA/N.4) A Alexandra Eala (Phi) 7-6 (7/3), 5-7, 6-3
– Men
Quarter finals
Jakub Messik (CZE) defeated Arthur Fils (Fra/N.17) 7-6 (7/5), 6-1
Novak Djokovic
(SRB/N.4) to Sebastian Korda (USA/N.24) 6-3, 7-6 (7/4)
Taylor Fritz (USA/N.3) to Matteo Berrettini (ITA/N.29) 7-5, 6-7 (7/9), 7-5
