Novak Djokovic matches Roger Federer's Masters 1000 achievement
As almost in every category our sport has to offer, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have been the dominant figures at the Masters 1000 series, reaching incredible 150 finals and winning mind-blowing 96 titles. Also, the most accomplished trio of the modern tennis is miles in front of all the rivals in the number of Masters 1000 semi-finals reached, with Nadal leading the field after playing in the last four 72 times and Roger and Novak who are six semi-finals behind him, still scoring twice as many as Andy Murray in the fourth position! Andy Murray, Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras are in the second group with more than 30 semi-finals and we can notice Andy Roddick, Lleyton Hewitt and Tomas Berdych as the remaining competitors with more than 18.
Nonetheless, they are all in the second league in comparison to the most prominent players at this level, with Novak Djokovic tying with Roger Federer on 66 in Cincinnati after advancing into the last four, competing for the first time since Wimbledon crown. Novak defeated Sam Querrey, Pablo Carreno Busta and Lucas Pouille for the seventh semi-final in Ohio and the 66th overall, matching Roger Federer's tally before losing 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 to Daniil Medvedev in the battle for the place in the final.
Novak held everything under control for a set and a half, looking good to reach another final and stay on the title defense course before Daniil survived a tough service game in the middle of the second set, going with all-or-nothing shots in the rest of the encounter to take the momentum away from Novak and march towards the finish line with a double break in the final set. It was the 43rd Masters 1000 semi-final for Novak Djokovic on beloved hard court, 12 years after the first one at Indian Wells 2007, and he will now try to finish the season on a high note and grab that 70th Masters 1000 semi-final next spring in Miami or during the clay season.
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2z8Zzv9
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