Novak Djokovic battles past Stefanos Tsitsipas to set up tasty Paris Masters final with Holger Rune
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Updated 05/11/2022 at 19:33 GMT
It was a bruising and lengthy three-set battle that had to be decided by a tie-break, but Novak Djokovic eventually progressed past the doughty Stefanos Tsitsipas on Saturday evening to secure his place in the final of the Paris Masters. The reigning champion will next take on rising star Holger Rune in the showpiece match on Sunday after he found a way past Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Highlights: Djokovic overcomes Tsitsipas fightback to reach Paris Masters final
Defending champion Novak Djokovic set up a Paris Masters final against Holger Rune by beating Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2 3-6 7-6(4) to continue his outstanding recent run of form.
The six-time champion extended his winning streak to 13 matches in his hunt for a third consecutive ATP title, but he was pushed hard by his Greek opponent.
Djokovic will face Holger Rune in Sunday’s final, after the Danish teenager overcome Felix Auger-Aliassime in straight sets.
Fifth seed Tsitsipas, who, like Djokovic, was yet to drop a set ahead of the match, was broken twice in the opening set and couldn’t make any progress on the Serbian's imperious serve.
The Serbian was almost faultless as he took the first set in just 31 minutes, but he was faced with a much sterner challenge in the second.
Tsitsipas began to put pressure on the Djokovic serve and pounced on his first break point opportunity to go 3-2 up, before breaking again late in the set to take it 6-3 and set up a decider.
Both players began strongly on serve, with Djokovic holding to love twice and Tsitsipas once in the opening three games, but the former world No.1 pounced as soon as an opportunity presented itself.
Tsitsipas raced into a 30-0 lead when on serve at 3-2 down, but a backhand winner and superb whipped forehand helped Djokovic set up the first break point of the match, which he took with another clinical forehand.
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Djokovic on Masters final opponent Rune: 'He's a great guy, but he'll have a tough battle'
Djokovic’s serving was unstoppable; he hit two aces on his way to a hold that sent him 5-2 up, and took 11/13 points on serve in the first set.
The 35-year-old hit the shot of the match so far in the subsequent game, firing a bullet of a backhand down the line into the corner.
Tsitsipas responded with an ace and an unreturnable serve, but Djokovic got the game to deuce and two unforced errors from the Greek were enough to hand the Serbian the set in just 31 minutes.
However, the momentum swung in the world No.5’s favour in the second set as he finally started to make inroads on the Djokovic serve.
Whipping up the Paris crowd with energised pumps of the arms, Tsitsipas took advantage of rare sloppiness from Djokovic to earn his first break point of the match at 3-2, which he took as Djokovic’s forehand flew beyond the baseline.
Any chance of an immediate break-back was snuffed out in style as the 24-year-old slammed down three aces in a row in the following service game on the way to a fantastic hold.
Tsitsipas then closed out the set in style, breaking Djokovic for a second time as the Serbian’s error count crept into double figures – after being guilty of just one in the first set.
The Greek took the game to deuce and earned a set point, which he took immediately as Djokovic sent a cross-court forehand wide to send the match to a deciding set.
Tsitsipas faced two break points at 2-1, and became the first player to save a break point in the match – before doing so again.
Djokovic went wide after a lengthy baseline exchange for the first, before Tsitsipas hit an unreturnable serve for the second, and more big serving secured a vital hold.
Two more break opportunities presented themselves to Djokovic at 4-4, but Tsitsipas again got himself out of trouble, before producing an inspired drop shot winner in one of the shots of the night that drew applause from Djokovic himself.
"It's very sweet, obviously, when you win matches like this against one of the best players in the world," Djokovic said after the victory.
"I thought I started the match very well again, great hitting like yesterday in the quarters. I had chances early on in the second, but I didn't break his serve. The momentum shifted, the crowd got into it. I think he elevated his level of tennis.
"Deservedly so, we went into - both of us - an even battle all the way until the last point, until the last shot. Some incredible points towards the end. I'm just really glad to overcome this challenge."
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Rune on reaching first Masters final: 'amazing, but the job is not finished yet'
In the first semi-finals, Rune continued his hot streak of form by beating Auger-Aliassime 6-4 6-2 to reach his first ATP 1000 final at the Paris Masters, and end the Canadian’s 16-match winning streak.
In a highly anticipated clash between two of the form players on the ATP Tour, Rune’s big serving, lethal returning and powerful hitting helped him notch an 18th win in his last 20 matches and reach a fourth straight ATP Final.
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