Outstanding Novak Djokovic survives tough test against Sebastian Korda, advances to Miami semifinals

Novak Djokovic claimed a hard-fought victory over Sebastian Korda, 6-3, 7-6, to advance to the semifinals of the Miami Open. The 24-time Grand Slam champion recovered from being 3-5 down in the second set and reached the semifinals in Miami Gardens for the first time since 2016, the year he secured his third consecutive title at the tournament.

However, Djokovic had not played in the tournament since 2019, skipping it in recent years. The Serbian remains on track for his 100th title (41 at the Masters 1000 level) and will face Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov for a spot in the final.

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Djokovic cruises through first set

At the start, the Serbian looked confident on his serve, easily taking control of his service games. Korda kept up with him in the first half of the set, but when pressure mounted, it was the experienced Djokovic who showed his authority.

When Djokovic was leading 4-3, with no breaks on either side, he capitalized on Korda’s doubts during rallies and broke to lead 5-3. The former world No. 1 was particularly effective with his forehand, putting Korda under pressure during the cross-court exchanges.

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Djokovic closed out the set with his serve, 6-3, hitting 78% of first serves and winning 94% of them. He was impressive, losing just three points on serve and breaking at the only opportunity he had.

Djokovic stays calm under pressure to force tie-break in second set

In the second set, Korda broke early, taking advantage of Djokovic’s brief moments of indecision. The American won 16 of the first 18 points and seized the lead. Djokovic found himself down 0-3, 0-30 on his serve, but after a remarkable rally, he marked a turning point in the set.

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Though Korda held his serve until 5-2, Djokovic remained focused, keeping himself in the match. The Serbian’s cross-court backhand pushed Korda wide, and Djokovic set up a couple of winners with his backhand down the line. He broke back, leveling the score at 5-5.

At 5-6, Djokovic recovered from 0-30 and pushed the set to a tiebreak, where he showed his dominance. With his concentration at its peak and his serving consistency throughout the match, he eventually closed the win 6-3, 7-6(4). Djokovic will now face Grigor Dimitrov in the semifinals, who defeated Francisco Cerundolo in a third-set tiebreak in the quarterfinals.

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