Novak Djokovic defeated Grigor Dimitrov to reach his first Miami Open final since 2016, moving one step closer to his 100th ATP title.
Dimitrov, from Bulgaria, started strong by breaking Djokovic’s serve in the first game. However, the Serbian star quickly recovered and, with his coach Andy Murray watching, took control of the match. Djokovic, ranked world number five, won five games in a row to claim the first set.
In the second set, Dimitrov struggled, and Djokovic took full advantage, winning comfortably 6-2, 6-3.
“Since winning my 99th title at the Paris Olympics, I’ve been aiming for 100,” Djokovic said. “I’ve been working hard to play at the level needed to compete for big trophies. So far, this tournament has gone really well—I haven’t dropped a set. Now, I have a great opportunity in the final.”
Dimitrov, the 14th seed, had a promising start in tough windy conditions in what was the oldest ATP Masters 1,000 semi-final ever. He broke Djokovic’s serve in the opening game but couldn’t keep the momentum. Djokovic quickly found his rhythm and dominated the first set.
The second set began with a brief interruption when a fan was removed for upsetting Dimitrov. The Bulgarian struggled to regain focus, winning only three service games. Djokovic, a six-time Miami Open champion, played with precision, making just five unforced errors compared to Dimitrov’s 32.
“There were a few close games towards the end,” Djokovic said. “At 4-2, 30-30, he missed a couple of shots, and I managed to serve well when it mattered. The wind made conditions tricky, but I knew if I made him hit extra shots, he would struggle.”
At 37 years and 10 months old, Djokovic is now the oldest ATP Masters 1,000 finalist ever. He will face either Jakub Mensik or Taylor Fritz in Sunday’s final. Their semi-final is set to be played later on Friday.
Among the spectators was football star Lionel Messi, who plays for Inter Miami.
