In their first meeting at tour level, 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic took down world No. 44 Zizou Bergs 6-3, 7-5 in one hour and 50 minutes, clinching a record-extending 80th Masters 1000 semifinal in Shanghai on Thrusday.
Assessing the match in his on-court interview, the Serbian said: “My first encounter with Bergs. He’s a great guy; a lot of firepower in his game. At times, I just tried to play an extra ball in the court and make him miss the ball, and that’s what happened.”
Djokovic, who failed to serve out for the match in his first attempt, added: “I should have closed out the match at 5-4. He played a good game again. I was a little bit too passive.”
The heat and high humidity levels in Shanghai have been constant throughout the players’ campaigns at the tournament, and on Thrusday, he once again struggled physically during the opener.
“Very challenging conditions these days for all the players, and I was just trying to stay alive on the court. I’m glad to overcome this hurdle,” he said.
The 38-year-old, who became the oldest Masters 1000 quarter-finalist in series history, showcased his trademark athleticism in lengthy baseline exchanges.
Moreover, the Belgrade native’s high-quality shotmaking comes close to perfection match after match, a world-class tennis display from a man who seeks excellence to continue chasing new career milestones at the age of 38.
Next, an intriguing semifinal clash with tournament surprise, Monegasque qualifier Valentin Vacherot.
Currently ranked world No. 204, Vacherot’s career has been disrupted by an injury that sidelined the unseeded player from tour competition when he was just 30 points away from the Top 100 last year at Roland-Garros. But his efforts not to give up and continue chasing his dream are paying off.
On Chinese soil, he has found his best tennis, shocking seeded players such as Alexander Bublik, Tomas Machac, and Tallon Griekspoor.
Furthermore, to book his ticket into the last four, he came back from a set down to stun 10th seed Holger Rune 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 in a three-hour gruelling contest.
“This is just unbelievable,” expressed the Monaco native after the match. “I didn’t come as a qualifier; I came as an alternate. I read that if I won, I’d be in the top 100.”
As a result of his best week on tour, he will crack into the Top 100 for the first time on Monday.
Benjamin Balleret, brother and coach, gave an insight into their journey together to recover lost ground.
“There was the injury (right shoulder) last year, and we were so close to the Top 100,” he stressed. “You have to start all over again, and so it was very difficult for him to accept.
“It’s a bit emotional because he’s my brother and I see him grow, and I know that he wants it so much.
“Also, because we started from zero, he came back from college and had zero points. I believe in him; he believed in me. He believed in my experience to help him. So for all that it’s emotional.”
A dream run will see the 26-year-old facing off against one of the best athletes in the world in his maiden career Masters 1000 semifinal on Saturday.
For Djokovic, a fifth crown at the venue is two wins away, so far and so close at the same time.