Djokovic Picks Up Momentum in Miami
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Novak Djokovic is gaining traction in South Florida following a rocky beginning to his 2025 campaign.
In pursuit of a seventh Miami Open title, Djokovic overcame American player Sebastian Korda, winning 6-3, 7-6 (4) in a quarterfinal that lasted 1 hour, 24 minutes. The match has been rescheduled from Wednesday night due to a lengthy women’s quarterfinal match between Jessica Pegula and Emma Raducanu, which exceeded the 11 p.m. cutoff according to new ATP regulations.
At 37 years old, Djokovic has moved into the semifinals, where he will take on Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov. Djokovic boasts a 12-1 record against Dimitrov, who was the finalist in last year’s tournament.
Having previously won all his six titles at Key Biscayne’s venue, Djokovic aims to secure his 100th professional title. “I’m receiving incredible support,” he expressed. “I truly believe I have a solid opportunity to win here… I’m playing at a high level for the first time in quite a while.”
With fans at Hard Rock Stadium rallying behind him and chanting his name, Djokovic made a comeback in the second set from a 4-1 deficit to clinch the match in a tiebreak. He served an ace on match point and ended with an impressive 83% first-service success rate against Korda. Following his win, Djokovic celebrated by strumming his racket like a violin.
When discussing the crucial aspect of his second-set performance, Djokovic said, “One word—serve. I was serving excellently. It was the best serving display I’ve had in a long time.” Despite facing challenges earlier this year, including an injury that forced him to retire from the Australian Open and an early loss in Indian Wells, Djokovic’s resurgence in Miami is noteworthy.
On the women’s side, Saturday’s final will feature No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula up against top seed Aryna Sabalenka, reprising their 2024 U.S. Open final encounter, which Sabalenka won. Additionally, Pegula overcame a formidable 19-year-old left-handed player from the Philippines, Alexandra Eala, in a thrilling women’s semifinal that ended at 12:40 a.m. Friday.
