Djokovic, gunning for his seventh Miami Open title, dispatched American Sebastian Korda 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) in one hour, and 24 minutes on Thursday.
The quarterfinal match was postponed from Wednesday night because the women’s quarterfinal between Jessica Pegula and Emma Raducanu ran past 11 p.m. and would have begun at about midnight — against new ATP rules.
Djokovic will face Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov in the semifinal; the Serbian is 12-1 against the 33-year-old Dimitrov, who reached the tournament final in 2024.
Djokovic, who won all six of his titles at the tournament’s previous venue at Key Biscayne, is going for his 100th professional title.
“I’m getting great support,” Djokovic said. “I feel I have a really good chance to go all the way here. …I’m playing the best I have in some time.”
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With the Hard Rock Stadium fans cheering the 37-year-old and chanting his name despite him facing an American opponent, Djokovic rallied in the second set from 4-1 and 5-2 down to win in a tiebreaker.
He served an ace on match point and finished with an 83 first-service percentage against the 24th-seeded Korda. The 37-year-old Serbian let out a yell after the victory and strummed his racket like a violin.
“One word — serve,″ Djokovic said when asked the key to his second-set surge. “I was serving very well — best serving performance in a long time.”
Mensik beat Fils
In the day’s first men’s quarterfinal, unseeded teenager Jakub Mensik beat 17th-seeded Arthur Fils 7-6 (7-5), 6-1. The 19-year-old Mensik advanced to his first semifinal at an ATP 1000-point level event.
Jakub Mensik in action against Arthur Fils at the Miami Open.
| Photo Credit:
AP
Jakub Mensik in action against Arthur Fils at the Miami Open.
| Photo Credit:
AP
Mensik, of the Czech Republic, squeaked out the tiebreaker and then stormed to a 4-0 lead in the second set to knock out the 20-year-old Frenchman. The 54th-ranked Mensik hit 13 aces and a crosscourt forehand winner that ended the match in 75 minutes.
Mensik will face the winner of Thursday night’s Taylor Fritz-Matteo Berrettini quarterfinal.
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