Novak Djokovic advanced to his first Miami Open final since 2016, defeating Grigor Dimitrov to move within one win of securing his 100th career ATP title.

The 37-year-old Serbian will face Czech unseeded player Jakub Mensik in Sunday’s final, after Mensik stunned American Taylor Fritz 7-6 (7-4) 4-6 7-6 (7-4) in the second semi-final on Friday.

Dimitrov took an early break in the first set, but Djokovic quickly responded, reeling off five straight games to win 6-1. The Bulgarian struggled in the second set, and Djokovic capitalized, taking it 6-2, 6-3.

Since winning his 99th title at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Djokovic has been aiming for his milestone 100th victory. 

He shared, “I’ve been focused on raising my level to fight for big trophies, and I’m pleased with my preparation and performance this week.” 
Djokovic, who is aiming for his seventh Miami Open title, was dominant, making just five unforced errors compared to Dimitrov's 32. 

The match was played under challenging windy conditions, but Djokovic managed to outlast his opponent, particularly with his serve and tactical play.

At 37 years and 10 months, Djokovic becomes the oldest ATP Masters 1000 finalist in history.

On the other side of the draw, 19-year-old Mensik reached his first Masters final, despite struggling to break Fritz's serve. 

His victory, sealed with 25 aces, came after a memorable encounter with football legend Lionel Messi, who congratulated Djokovic in the locker room. 

Mensik jokingly attributed his victory to not washing his hand after meeting Messi for good luck.

Source: BBC 

BDST: 1320 HRS, MAR 29, 2025
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