Djokovic Advances to Miami Semifinals; Sabalenka Reaches Final for First Time
Novak Djokovic overcomes Sebastian Korda while Aryna Sabalenka secures her maiden Miami final appearance.
Novak Djokovic has advanced to the semifinals of the Miami Open after defeating American player Sebastian Korda in the quarterfinals with a score of 6-3, 7-6(4).
This victory marks another significant achievement in Djokovic's illustrious career as he aims to become the first player to win the Miami Open seven times, a record currently shared with Andre Agassi, who won the event six times.
Djokovic's upcoming semifinal opponent will be Bulgarian player Grigor Dimitrov, who secured his spot by edging out Francisco Cerúndolo of Argentina in a grueling three-set match earlier in the tournament.
This week, Djokovic also reached a notable milestone when he recorded his 411th victory at an ATP Masters event with his win over Camilo Ugo Carabelli in the third round, taking sole possession of the record previously held jointly with Rafael Nadal.
In his quarterfinal against Korda, Djokovic started strong by breaking serve at a crucial moment to take a 4-3 lead, ultimately winning the first set with his first set point in a love game.
The second set proved more challenging as Djokovic fell behind 0-3 but fought back to force a tiebreak, where he displayed consistent performance to close the match with an ace after one hour and 24 minutes of play.
Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka achieved a career-first by reaching the final of the WTA tournament in Miami, decisively defeating Italy's Jasmine Paolini in the semifinals with a score of 6-2, 6-2. The world number one showcased her dominant form as she prepares to face either Jessica Pegula from the United States or 19-year-old Alexandra Eala from the Philippines in the final.
Sabalenka's path to the final included a convincing performance against Paolini, with whom she had previously faced four times, winning three of those encounters.
The match saw Sabalenka maintain a strong service game while dominating baseline rallies and successfully employing drop shots.
She raced to a 4-1 lead in the first set, allowing Paolini to secure only one game before effectively repeating the scoreline in the second set.
The contest concluded in just under one hour and fifteen minutes when Sabalenka converted her second match point.
This victory marks another significant achievement in Djokovic's illustrious career as he aims to become the first player to win the Miami Open seven times, a record currently shared with Andre Agassi, who won the event six times.
Djokovic's upcoming semifinal opponent will be Bulgarian player Grigor Dimitrov, who secured his spot by edging out Francisco Cerúndolo of Argentina in a grueling three-set match earlier in the tournament.
This week, Djokovic also reached a notable milestone when he recorded his 411th victory at an ATP Masters event with his win over Camilo Ugo Carabelli in the third round, taking sole possession of the record previously held jointly with Rafael Nadal.
In his quarterfinal against Korda, Djokovic started strong by breaking serve at a crucial moment to take a 4-3 lead, ultimately winning the first set with his first set point in a love game.
The second set proved more challenging as Djokovic fell behind 0-3 but fought back to force a tiebreak, where he displayed consistent performance to close the match with an ace after one hour and 24 minutes of play.
Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka achieved a career-first by reaching the final of the WTA tournament in Miami, decisively defeating Italy's Jasmine Paolini in the semifinals with a score of 6-2, 6-2. The world number one showcased her dominant form as she prepares to face either Jessica Pegula from the United States or 19-year-old Alexandra Eala from the Philippines in the final.
Sabalenka's path to the final included a convincing performance against Paolini, with whom she had previously faced four times, winning three of those encounters.
The match saw Sabalenka maintain a strong service game while dominating baseline rallies and successfully employing drop shots.
She raced to a 4-1 lead in the first set, allowing Paolini to secure only one game before effectively repeating the scoreline in the second set.
The contest concluded in just under one hour and fifteen minutes when Sabalenka converted her second match point.
