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IMAGE: Serbia’s Novak Djokovic celebrates victory over Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas within the semi-finals of the Paris Masters, at Accor Area, Paris, on Saturday. {Photograph}: Christian Hartmann/Reuters
Reigning Paris Masters champion Novak Djokovic beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in a three-set epic on Saturday to arrange a title conflict with Holger Rune, who reached his first ATP Masters 1000 remaining after a snug win over Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Djokovic received his eighth straight match towards Tsitsipas however wanted greater than two hours to seal a 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(4) victory, preserving alive a 13-match unbeaten run in addition to his hopes of clinching a seventh title in Paris.
The Serbian made a blistering begin to the competition and was virtually faultless as he took the opening set in 31 minutes however dropped a set for the primary time this week after Tsitsipas rallied beautifully within the second to drive the decider.
The momentum shifted once more within the third set with Djokovic imperious on serve, however he went a mini-break down within the tiebreak earlier than profitable the ultimate 4 factors of the match.
IMAGE: Stefanos Tsitsipas reacts after dropping some extent throughout his semi-final towards Novak Djokovic. {Photograph}: Christian Hartmann/Reuters
“It’s extremely candy, clearly, while you win matches like this towards among the best gamers on the planet,” mentioned Djokovic, who struck 11 aces and received 84 p.c of his first-serve factors.
“Deservedly so, each of us went into a good battle all the best way till the final level, till the final shot. Some unbelievable factors in direction of the tip. I am simply actually glad to beat this problem.”
In a battle between two of the Tour’s most in-form gamers, world quantity 18 Rune convincingly ended eighth seed Auger-Aliassime’s 16-match profitable run in a 6-4, 6-2 victory and earned his fourth top-10 scalp in as many days.
IMAGE: Denmark’s Holger Rune celebrates profitable his semi-final towards Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime. {Photograph}: Christian Hartmann/Reuters
Each gamers have been competing for a spot of their fourth straight remaining however Canadian Auger-Aliassime, who received ATP titles in Florence, Antwerp and Basel, couldn’t match Rune’s depth and struggled to succeed in the extent he had proven throughout his unbeaten run.
Danish teenager Rune received 86 p.c of his first-serve factors and didn’t face a break level in a complete 88-minute win.
“It was an unbelievable match from my aspect at this time,” Rune mentioned. “I actually was sticking to the sport plan for the entire match and simply taking each probability I received.
“Placing Felix below strain, that is what my recreation plan was all about, and I managed to do it virtually completely. I’m tremendous proud (of) how I dealt with all the pieces.”
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