\nNovak Djokovic cruised past Grigor Dimitrov to reach his first Miami Open final since 2016 and move within one win of his 100th career ATP title.
\nHe will face unseeded Czech player Jakub Mensik in Sunday\u2019s final following his shock 7-6 (7-4) 4-6 7-6 (7-4) victory over American Taylor Fritz in Friday\u2019s second semi-final.
\nBulgaria\u2019s Dimitrov broke Djokovic in the opening game, but the Serb, watched by his coach Andy Murray, broke back.
\nWorld number five Djokovic, 37, reeled off five straight games to win the first set.
\nDimitrov made a shaky start to the second set and the 24-time Grand Slam champion took advantage to go through 6-2 6-3.
\n\u201cEver since I won my 99th [title], which was the Olympic Games in Paris, I\u2019ve been playing with the prospect of winning the special 100 titles,\u201d said Djokovic.
\n\u201cI\u2019ve been trying to find that necessary and much-needed level of tennis that will put me in a position to fight for a trophy, a big trophy.
\n\u201cThat\u2019s what I\u2019ve been doing this week, to be honest. I\u2019ve been very happy with the way I prepared for the tournament, the way I\u2019ve been playing. I haven\u2019t dropped a set.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s a great opportunity. Let\u2019s see what happens in two days.\u201d
\nThings started off well in windy conditions for 14th seed Dimitrov, 33, who won the first game on Djokovic\u2019s serve but was unable to capitalise and the classy Serb hit his stride and easily won the first set.
\nAfter a fan was ejected after saying something to annoy Dimitrov, the Bulgarian made a slow start to the second set.
\nDimitrov, last year\u2019s beaten finalist, won three of his service games, but Djokovic was just too good.
\nThe six-time Miami Open champion only made five unforced errors to his opponent\u2019s 32.
\n\u201cThere were a couple of tight games in the last part of the match,\u201d said Djokovic.
\n\u201cIt was 4-2, 30-30 and he missed a couple of forehands, and then I found some really good serves with new balls in the last game.
\n\u201cThese were tricky conditions. Very swirly. The wind was not consistent, changing a lot. It\u2019s not easy to find control of the ball.
\n\u201cI tried to make him play in these conditions because he\u2019s a clean hitter. I knew he\u2019d struggle if I made him play an extra shot. He struggled with the first serve more than I did.\u201d
\nThe fourth seed, at 37 years and 10 months old, is the oldest ATP Masters 1000 finalist ever, having also been the oldest semi-finalist.
\nDjokovic will face 19-year-old Mensik at the opposite end of his career arc, with the Czech teenager reaching his first final of a Masters event.
\nThe world number 54 lost his only previous final on the ATP Tour in Qatar last year and won through in Miami despite failing to break the serve of third seed Fritz.
\nHis victory was sealed in a flurry of aces, sending down 25 compared with Fritz\u2019s 14 as he edged to victory by winning tie-breaks in the first and third sets.
\nThe rising young star put his unexpected victory down to a chance meeting with Argentina footballing great Lionel Messi after the Inter Miami forward had gone into the locker room at the Hard Rock Stadium to congratulate Djokovic on his win.
\n\u201cMeeting this legend, not even a human, it\u2019s not happening every day,\u201d said Mensik.
\n\u201cI just chilled with him a bit and shook his hand. And after shaking that hand, I didn\u2019t wash it before the match, you know, to bring me some luck, so probably that was the key for me today.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Novak Djokovic cruised past Grigor Dimitrov to reach his first Miami Open final since 2016 and move within one win of his 100th career ATP title. He will face unseeded Czech player Jakub Mensik in Sunday\u2019s final following his shock 7-6 (7-4) 4-6 7-6 (7-4) victory over American Taylor Fritz in Friday\u2019s second semi-final. Bulgaria\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-469996","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n