Djokovic Reaches Athens Final, Ends Semi-Final Drought

Novak Djokovic cruised into the Athens ATP final with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann on Friday, setting up a title clash with Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti. Musetti advanced after edging past Sebastian Korda 6-0, 5-7, 7-5.

The 38-year-old Serb took just 79 minutes to dispatch Hanfmann, snapping his streak of four consecutive semi-final defeats at major tournaments — Roland Garros, Wimbledon, the US Open, and Shanghai. His last semi-final win came in May at Geneva, where he went on to lift his 100th career singles title. Only Roger Federer (103) and Jimmy Connors (109) have more.

“I think it was the best tennis I’ve played this tournament,” Djokovic said. “It came at the right time. Hanfmann poses a great threat because he serves big, has a big game, so I needed to really stay focused.”

Djokovic broke Hanfmann at 3-2 to take the first set 6-3 and recovered from an early break in the second to seal the match 6-4.

The Athens event replaces the short-lived Belgrade Open on this year’s ATP calendar, and Djokovic received a rousing reception from home fans.
“Thank you for filling out this amazing stadium again,” he said. “I’ve played in some of the most beautiful indoor arenas in the world, but this is definitely among the top three.”

Musetti, meanwhile, will be motivated to win the final, as victory would secure him a berth at the ATP Finals in Turin.