Novak Djokovic made his way to the Miami tournament semi-finals for the first time since 2016. With top seeds like Carlos Alcaraz, Jack Draper, and Daniil Medvedev already out of the picture, the path seems clear for the Serbian star to potentially clinch another title in Miami.
On Thursday, Djokovic showed his class by efficiently securing the first set, capitalizing on a key service break in the eighth game. However, the match turned more challenging in the second set. Despite falling behind 5-2, Djokovic showcased his resilience and powerful serve to claw his way back into the match, eventually pushing it to a tie-break where he sealed the victory.
Reflecting on the match, Djokovic remarked, “That was my best serving performance thus far. The nerves were there because you can never predict what Korda will bring—he’s aggressive and incredibly skilled.”
He added, “I found myself on the defensive, waiting for him to slip up rather than taking control of the game’s flow. Yet, when I needed to deliver a strong first serve, it was there. It was a tense encounter, but a strong showing overall.”
Elsewhere on Thursday, unseeded Czech player Jakub Mensik pulled off an impressive win against the 17th seed, Arthur Fils, defeating him 7-6 (7-5), 6-1. This victory secured Mensik a place in the semi-finals, where he’ll face either Italy’s Matteo Berrettini, seeded 29th, or American player Taylor Fritz.
