Madrid Open: Novak Djokovic reaches final of competition FREE for news on the biggest players and tournaments SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up forfor news on the biggest players and tournaments When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Djokovic came into the match as the slight underdog due to Thiem's eight-match winning streak. And it looked ominous for the world No 1 when he was broken early on by the Austrian. But Djokovic settled down to level the first set and he stepped up his game to take it on a tiebreak. Djokovic served for the match at 6-5 in the second set but double-faulted to send the match into another breaker. However, Djokovic bounced back from the disappointment of the previous game to keep his nerve and seal a place in the final against either Rafael Nadal or Stefanos Tsitsipas. Djokovic said: “I played the best match of the clay court season so far for me against arguably the best tennis player in the world on this surface. “He had an amazing tournament in Barcelona, he beat Roger here yesterday in a thrilling match so he was in form. “[It] was very tough conditions, very fast, ball bouncing very high. Thiem next to Rafa probably plays with the most spin on the tennis tour right now. Novak Djokovic celebrates his win over Dominic Thiem Novak Djokovic is through to his 48th Masters 1000 final<doc-sep>Even Roger Federer struggles to do miracles back to back. After saving two match points against Gael Monfils in the 1,200th win of his career, he blew two of his own against Dominic Thiem on Friday when victory would have sent him into Saturday’s semi-finals against Novak Djokovic for the 48th time. As it is, the world No 1 – who watched the second semi-final of the Madrid Masters on TV after the late withdrawal of Marin Cilic with food poisoning – faces Thiem, eighth in the ATP rankings, who was well worth his 3-6, 7-6 (11), 6-4 win. The winner of that semi-final plays either Stefanos Tsitsipas – who beat his main rival, Alexander Zverev, 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 – or five-time champion Rafael Nadal, who punctured the revival of Stan Wawrinka by 6-1, 6-2, in 68 minutes in the last match of a long and entertaining day. When three match points came Thiem’s way after two hours and 10 minutes of an enthralling contest, in front of Manolo Santana on his 81st birthday on his eponymous court, the Austrian could not hide his joy. Even at 37 and returning to the clay after an absence of nearly three years, Federer remains a formidable scalp. On Saturday and Sunday Thiem will try to complete the rare treble of beating Federer, Nadal and Djokovic in the same clay-court season. “The test today was huge and tomorrow is a different game,” he said. “Novak has won the last three slams and he is at the top of the rankings again. The challenge couldn’t be bigger.” Federer was disappointed but will approach the French Open in three weeks’ time with renewed confidence. He said: “Gael and Dominic are tough on the clay so it was a good battle. I feel good on the clay right now.” But he said of the Rome Open next week, “I’m not sure if I’m going to go.” Stepping into the Austrian’s second serve, he gave Thiem neither time nor room to find a convincing rhythm in the first set. All looked well for the man who makes the difficult look ridiculously simple. However, he made it too hard for himself in the second-set tie-break, saving five set points but not a sixth, as Thiem smashed a winner to extend the struggle into a third frame, where he finished the job with a solid service game to nil. Dominic Thiem boosted his French Open title credentials with an impressive display against Federer. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images There was plenty of edge between Tsitsipas and Zverev when they faced off on Arantxa Sanchez, the tournament’s second court, after the German’s recent criticism of the Greek’s game. The loser, who does not lack for attitude, would only say later, “He’s obviously improved a lot.” In the closing match Nadal pounced on Wawrinka from the start and won going away. He has lifted this trophy five times; only a fool would bet against him making it half a dozen. The Spaniard said later: “It was one of the days that everything worked out and I have done it really well.” Earlier Simona Halep, who has been coping with a heavy head cold, gave herself a chance of returning to No 1 in the world for the third time after breaking the stubborn resistance of the resurgent world No 18, Belinda Bencic, to win a ragged, engaging semi-final, 6-2, 6-7 (2), 6-0, at her favourite workplace. Whether or not Kiki Bertens has done her a favour by putting out Sloane Stephens 6-2, 7-5, is tough to call. The seventh seed said later: “I went to sleep really late last night. The body had to recover from that, so I’m happy to get through here today and really happy to be in another final in Madrid.” So Halep will either head for Rome as a three-time Madrid champion – which would displace Naomi Osaka at the top of the rankings – or not. As she remarked later: “I don’t want to think about it. For me it’s more important to win the title.” Either way she will be in good shape to defend her French Open title in three weeks’ time, settling in quickly with her new coach and compatriot, Daniel Dobre, after splitting with the Australian Darren Cahill before Christmas. A fourth ace lifted Bencic’s wilting spirits at the very end but she handed the match and a fourth bagel of the week to Halep with a tired forehand that barely ruffled the net. She did not feel disposed to talk to the media afterwards.<doc-sep>When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Sign up forfor news on the biggest players and tournaments Today Novak Djokovic will take on Austrian Dominic Thiem in the Madrid Open semi-finals. Djokovic is currently ranked number one in men’s singles tennis, whilst Thiem is number four. On Friday, Thiem beat Fourth seed Roger Federer to reach the semi-finals. Dominic Thiem calls out Novak Djokovic after Roger Federer win Roger Federer in SHOCK Italian Open draw with Djokovic and Nadal Djokovic, 31, had originally been planned to face Marin Cilic but the Croat pulled out after suffering from food poisoning. Today’s match will take place in The Magic Box or La Caja Magica, in Madrid. In last year’s Madrid Open, Thiem was runner up - beaten by Alexander Zverev. Thiem was also runner up in 2017, losing in the final to Rafael Nadal. Read More: Roger Federer: Dominic Thiem compared to Chelsea hero Eden Hazard<doc-sep>Returning to clay for the first time in three years, Roger Federer played on a very high level in Madrid, beating Richard Gasquet and saving two match points against Gael Monfils to reach the quarters. Delivering everything from his attacking arsenal, Roger was on the level terms with an in-form Dominic Thiem for the most of the match, wasting two match points in a super exciting second set tie break and losing 3-6, 7-6, 6-4, switching the focus to Rome as his last tournament before Paris. Also, Roger notched the 1200th ATP win here in Madrid, joining Jimmy Connors as the second player with that many triumphs in the Open era, not aware of the milestone before he finished the match with Gael and checked some reactions. Also, Roger praised Dominic Thiem as one of the players to beat at Roland Garros together with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. "I didn't have time to think about 1200 ATP wins, the 1000 number was massive for me, I think in Brisbane a few years ago when I won the title, and I didn't know I was chasing the 1200th win against Gael, finding out after the match. I was excited, it is a fact that I have been on the Tour for so long and winning a lot. It certainly wasn't easy to reach that, saving those match points, but some of my other wins didn't come easy either, I'm happy, I celebrated it in a great fashion. For years, I played everywhere, indoor season, hard season, clay season, and it was really nice to take that break in 2016 for my family, health standpoint and my mind as well. I didn't plan to stop the clay season in 2016 after losing to Thiem in Rome, going to Paris but having to withdraw as things were just not good for me with back and knee issues. I focused on grass season, hoping to play healthy again but I realized the knee issues were not going away and I needed a proper break. It was good for me to take such a tough decision. Dominic Thiem has been one of the best players on clay in recent years and he is one of the top favorites for Roland Garros, right there with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. I hope I can play well there and give them some troubles, I'm excited to be there again."<doc-sep>
Novak Djokovc declared himself ready for the challenge of once again beating Rafael Nadal on clay after he defeated Dominic Thiem on Saturday to reach the Madrid Open final. Djokovic enhanced his credentials as the greatest threat to Nadal winning a 12th French Open title next month by edging past Thiem 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/4). Thiem took down Nadal en route to clinching the trophy in Barcelona last month and had also knocked out Roger Federer in the Madrid quarter-finals. But if Nadal overcomes the talented Stefanos Tsitsipas later on Saturday, it will be the Spaniard and Djokovic in Sunday's final, in what could prove a dress rehearsal for the title match at Roland Garros too. It would also be the pair's 54th meeting with Djokovic enjoying a 28-25 lead including seven wins on clay. "With the tennis that I've played today, I feel like I'm ready," Djokovic said. "I'm ready for that challenge, and Rafa is always an ultimate challenge in any tournament on clay." Thiem ran Djokovic close enough to suggest he will also be a serious contender again in Paris, where the Austrian was runner-up to Nadal last year. "To beat these players like Novak or Rafa, you need to have this little bit of luck, this momentum going for you, and that was not the case today," Thiem said. "I cannot beat these guys every time, so it's fine." Since taking a month off after winning the Australian Open, Djokovic has stuttered, enduring early exits in Indian Wells, Miami and then Monte Carlo. But Thiem found the 31-year-old close to his best, delivering a timely reminder of why he has won the last three Grand Slam titles and will hold all four concurrently by winning his 16th at the French Open. "It was a very important win for me against one of the best players in the world," said Djokovic, a two-time champion in Madrid. "He's getting back to his 100 percent again," Thiem said. "The closer it comes to the Grand Slams, the better he'll play and we are pretty close to the French Open." Djokovic conceded an early break when a short forehand hit the tape but struck back for 3-3, matching a Thiem drop-shot in kind before his opponent patted wide. Thiem had a break point at 4-4 but it was Djokovic who stormed clear in the tie-break, winning the point of the match with, perhaps, the shot of the tournament. Scrambling left into his backhand corner, Djokovic not only retrieved Thiem's approach but turned it into a brilliant lob that landed on the opposite baseline. Disorientated, Thiem hit long to fall 4-1 behind and then again at 6-2 to hand Djokovic the set. Thiem came again early in the second and broke in the sixth game, only to fail again to consolidate, Djokovic responding immediately for 3-3. There was nothing in it until Thiem blinked again at 5-5 but this time Djokovic wavered, broken when serving for the match after coughing up a double fault. Djokovic recovered his nerve in the tie-break, however, earning two match points and converting the first, when a tired Thiem framed a final backhand long.