Masters | ATP Finals | Semi-final: Novak Djokovic in the Masters final after a big fight against Taylor Fritz

Novak Djokovic will play his eighth Masters final. This Saturday in Turin, the Serb defeated the American Taylor Fritz in the semi-finals after a very tight match which was played twice in the tie-break (7-6, 7-6). Not exactly at his best physically, the world number eight fought on every point and made the difference in the important moments. He will try to grab a sixth title in this tournament and become Roger Federer’s equal. For this, he will have to face the winner of the other semi-final, which will oppose Casper Ruud to Andrey Rublev, in the evening at 9:00 p.m.

Djokovic was the first to score the break in this game. To lead 3-2 in the first set. But Fritz recovered his faceoff in stride. And the two men did not let go until the decisive game. Without being particularly brilliant so far, the Serb stayed in the game by making fewer unforced errors than his opponent. And he did not miss the opportunity on his very first set point, at 6-5. He then unleashed a huge long-line forehand that gave the American no chance.

Djokovic still decisive in hot moments

Unaffected by the loss in the first set, Fritz immediately upped his game by being more aggressive on every ball and committing far fewer fouls. Which allowed him to break the second set entry. Both men offered some great rallies and produced much better quality tennis. Djokovic seemed, at times, physically affected as in his match against Daniil Medvedev. He even seemed to have trouble recovering. But he never gave up.

Like at 5-3 and 0/30 on his face-off where he could have cracked to concentrate on a third set which seemed more than likely. But the great strength of the Djoker, this week, is there. An unfailing resilience that allowed him to reverse the course of this set. As transcended by this prospect of a sixth coronation at the Masters, he found his tennis to chain the perfect shots.

Just as Fritz was starting to make a few mistakes again. A new deciding game has become inevitable. And the Serb concluded the game on his second match point (7-6 (5), 7-6 (6)). Four after his failure against Murray, here he is again in the final. For one last fight.