PARIS: Novak Djokovic beat Stefanos Tsitsipas for the eighth straight time, edging an entertaining semifinal 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (4) to stay on track for a record-extending seventh Paris Masters title on Saturday.
The 21-time Grand Slam champion next faces unseeded Danish teenager Holger Rune, who has never been in a Masters final.
Tsitsipas was 15-40 down on his serve in the ninth game of the deciding set but saved two break points — the second with a sublime one-handed backhand drop shot following a long rally — and held for 5-4.
“Some incredible points toward the end,” Djokovic said. “I’m just really glad to overcome this challenge.”
The sixth-seeded Djokovic trailed 4-3 in the tiebreaker but won the next two points to go 5-4 up, and with two serves to come against the fifth-seeded Greek.
After a weak second serve, he used great defense to edge a rally when Tsitsipas patted a forehand volley into the net to give Djokovic a first match point. He took it with a smash at the net, cupped a finger to his ear and yelled “Come on!” to the crowd at the Bercy Arena.
“It’s very sweet when you win matches like this against one of the best players in the world,” Djokovic said. “I thought I started the match very well, again, great hitting like yesterday. I had chances early on in the second. The momentum shifted, the crowd got into it. I think he elevated his level of tennis.”
Djokovic is also aiming for a record-extending 39th Masters title, a fifth title this season and a 91st career overall to move one behind 22-time major winner Rafael Nadal.
Djokovic improved to 9-2 in matches against Tsitsipas, who won two of their first three but now hasn’t beaten Djokovic since the Shanghai Masters quarterfinals in October 2019.
Earlier Saturday, an inspired Rune downed eighth-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 6-2 to stay on course for the biggest title of his career.
Rune, who won both of his career titles this year, reached his fourth straight final of the season.
Contesting his first Masters semifinal, he won 86 percent of his points on first serve and faced no break points.
“It was an unbelievable match from my side today. I really was sticking to the game plan for the whole match and just taking every chance I got,” Rune said. “Putting Felix under pressure, that’s what my game plan was all about, and I managed to do it almost perfectly. I am super proud how I handled everything.”
He ended Auger-Aliassime’s 16-match winning run and the 22-year-old Canadian’s bid for a fourth straight title.
Auger-Aliassime beat Rune last Sunday in the Swiss Indoors final.
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Djokovic beats Tsitsipas again, faces Rune in Paris final
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Djokovic beats Tsitsipas again, faces Rune in Paris final
- The 21-time Grand Slam champion next faces unseeded Danish teenager Holger Rune, who downed 8th-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime to stay on course for the biggest title of his career
Australia’s Khawaja to retire after Ashes finale, slams ‘racial stereotyping’
SYDNEY: Usman Khawaja said Friday he will retire from international cricket after the fifth and Ashes clash against England, leaving a legacy as Australia’s first Muslim Test cricketer while lashing out at perceived “racial stereotyping” during his 15-year career.
The 39-year-old will pad up for the last time, should he be selected, when the Test gets under way in Sydney on Sunday, ending months of speculation about his future.
It would be an 88th Test for the classy left-hander, culminating a career where it began after making his debut at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 2011, also against England.
“The number one emotion is contentment. I’m very lucky to have played so many games for Australia the way I have,” Khawaja said. “I hope I have inspired people along the way.
“I’m a proud Muslim colored boy from Pakistan who was told that he would never play for the Australian cricket team. Look at me now, and you can do the same,” he added.
Khawaja immigrated to Australia from Islamabad as a child, battling the odds to become the country’s first Pakistan-born, and first Muslim, national player.
At one point, he was the only Asian first-class player in Australia and is credited as a role model who opened doors for others.
“Usman has made a huge contribution to Australian cricket both through his outstanding achievements as one of our most stylish and resilient batters since his Test debut 15 years ago, and off field, particularly through the Usman Khawaja Foundation,” said Cricket Australia chief Todd Greenberg.
“On behalf of Australian cricket I would like to thank and congratulate Usman for all he has achieved.”
Khawaja’s foundation helps youths from refugee, immigrant, Indigenous, and poor socioeconomic backgrounds through introductory cricket programs and educational support.
‘Attacked me’
Khawaja, a qualified pilot, has plundered 6,206 runs in Test cricket with 16 centuries, averaging 43.39.
He smashed a career-high 232 against Sri Lanka a year ago, but has not made three figures since.
The current Ashes series has been a rollercoaster ride, with the veteran batsman coming under scrutiny.
He injured his back in the first Test in Perth and was replaced as opener in the second innings by Travis Head who blasted a match-winning century.
Khawaja did not feature in the next match at Brisbane and was omitted from the team for the third Test in Adelaide, only to get a lifeline when Steve Smith dropped out ill just before the toss.
He came in at number four and hit 82 and 40 before making 29 and 0 in the fourth Test at Melbourne.
“I’m glad I get to leave on amy own terms, with a little bit of dignity, and go out at the SCG where I love,” he said, while expressing frustration at how he was treated.
“When I did my back , I hurt my back and had back spasms and it was something I couldn’t control.
“The way the media and past players came out and attacked me. I could have copped it for a couple of days but it went on for five days.
“The way everyone came out at me about my preparation, ‘he’s not committed to the team. Only worried about himself. Playing a golf competition. He’s selfish, he didn’t train hard enough. He’s lazy’.
“These are the same racial stereotypes .
“But obviously we haven’t fully moved past that. I haven’t seen anyone treated like that in the Australian cricket team before.”
He nevertheless admitted the writing was on the wall during the current Ashes series.
“Going into Adelaide and then not being picked initially for that game was probably a sign for me to say ‘all right, it’s time to move on’,” he said.
Khawaja also played 40 one-dayers and nine Twenty20 internationals.
