Update: Roger Forces A Decider Vs. Novak In Paris

Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer are battling in the Rolex Paris Masters semi-finals and the stakes are as great as they’ve ever been.They are heading to a decider after Djokovic took the first set 7-6(6) and Federer converted a late break for 7-5 in the second.

The Serbian and the Swiss renew their rivalry for a 47th time, with Djokovic leading the storied FedEx ATP Head2Head by a tally of 24-22. The last time they met, in the Cincinnati final this year, Djokovic streaked to a straight-set victory.

This time, Federer is bidding to exact his revenge and move one step closer to a stunning 100th tour-level title. It has been nearly three years since he last defeated his Serbian rival, with his last triumph coming at the Nitto ATP Finals in 2015. Djokovic, meanwhile, is eyeing a 23rd straight match win this year, which would put him in a fourth consecutive final.

Following their Cincinnati encounter in August, Federer described his returning performance as one of the worst of his career. He claimed just 26 per cent of such points and looked to flip the script as they entered the fast indoor courts of Paris-Bercy on Saturday. But as proceedings got underway, Djokovic’s delivery proved to be untouchable once again. 

And the Serbian was on the prowl with Federer serving at 3-4, forcing the Swiss to retreat to his backhand corner as he stood tall on the baseline. Federer would save four break points in that game, including a moment of magic that put his razor reflexes to the test. A Djokovic forehand clipped the net and spun towards Federer’s head, but the Swiss quickly raised his racquet and struck a sublime drop volley to the delight of the Parisian faithful.

The riveting first set would proceed to a tie-break and Djokovic would seize the initiative, denying a set point and sealing the opener when a Federer backhand slid wide. He fired nine winners in the 71-minute opening set.

Djokovic owns a commanding 17-1 record against Federer when winning the opener, but the Swiss looked to turn the tables in the second. They once again remained on serve throughout the set, but it was Federer who came up clutch in the critical stage. With Djokovic serving to force another tie-break, his Swiss rival pounced, reeling off 9 of 11 points to suddenly snatch a late break and send the encounter to a decider. He launched a forehand winner down the line to seize the set.

Djokovic’s inability to convert on 10 break points shined bright, particularly in the first game of the third set. The second seed had a 15/40 look, but Federer clamped down once again. In faster conditions, the Swiss’ serve is as reliable a weapon as any and it frequently did damage on Saturday.