Serbia's Novak Djokovic will meet Britain's Andy Murray (left) in the Paris Masters final today. (AFP)

AFP/Paris


Novak Djokovic extended his win streak to 21 at the Paris Masters yesterday, defeating Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 to storm into the final where he will meet world number three Andy Murray, who earlier reached his maiden Paris final when he outpaced Spanish eighth seed David Ferrer 6-4, 6-3 despite a few off moments.
The British second seed lost his focus at times but eventually had more in store than the 2012 Bercy champion to set up a showdwon with world number one Djokovic.
Murray got off to a dream start, breaking to love in the first game. It spurred Ferrer into action and the Spaniard levelled for 3-3 when two unforced errors gave him a break in the sixth game. In a see-saw opening set, Ferrer set up four more break points in the eighth game but Murray saved them and went on to steal his opponent’s serve as the Spaniard made a string of unforced errors.
The Scot finished a superb exchange at the net with a fine sliced lob to set up two set points. On the first one, Ferrer netted a routine backhand. The Spaniard stayed focused, however, and raced to a 3-1 lead in the second.
But double Grand Slam champion Murray discovered his range again, finding gravity-defying angles to win five games in a row, wrapping up the victory on his first match point when Ferrer netted a drop shot.
On Friday, Djokovic beat Tomas Berdych 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (10/8) to reach the semi-finals.
Murray and Ferrer also made it through to the last four in the bottom half of the draw on a day of marathon clashes, but Rafael Nadal crashed out to Wawrinka.
The straight sets victory for Djokovic also meant that he has now won 28 sets in a row—the best run of his career—dating back to the US Open final in early September.
But he had a battle on his hands against fifth-seeded Berdych, a winner in Paris 10 years ago when he was just 20. Neither player could manage a break of serve, the first time that has happened to Djokovic in 680 career wins, according to ATP statistics.
“It was decided in tiebreaks two times, and very few points, really, decided a winner today, Djokovic said. “Could have gone a different way. He had set point in the first set, as well. In the important moments, I just managed to hang in there, you know, just stay tough. That’s what I’m most proud of.”
Despite having lost all 16 of their previous hardcourt matchups, the towering Czech had the better of the first set behind a powerful display of serving and forehand blockbusters.
Berdych kept his nose in front and his chance came with a set point at 6-5 up only for Djokovic, the top seed and defending champion, to produce a big first serve and a forehand winner off the blocked return.
The tie-break, however, was dominated by the Serb winning four of the first five points to take control.
Serves again dominated in the second set with both men holding firm to bring up a second straight tie-break which Djokovic edged 10/8 despite Berdych having another set point.
Wawrinka sent Nadal packing 7-6 (10/8), 7-6 (9/7), the Swiss having defeated Djokovic the last time the two men met in Paris in the French Open final in June. That defeat prevented Djokovic from accomplishing the fabled calendar year Grand Slam which only two men—Rod Laver and Don Budge—have ever achieved before. He won the Australian and US Opens as well as Wimbledon.
Murray made the last four of the Paris indoors for the first time, but it needed a marathon effort to see off the last remaining Frenchman, Richard Gasquet. The second seed, who had dropped just four games in reaching the last eight, was kept hard at it for two hours 38 minutes before edging through 7-6 (9/7), 3-6, 6-3.
Five times previously Murray had fallen in the quarter-finals of the ATP’s regular season finale. “I think the level during the first set was extremely good,” Murray said. “After that it was a little bit up and down. But I just managed to hang in at the end after losing the momentum really in the second set.”
The win meant that Murray joined Roger Federer, Nadal and Djokovic as the only players to reach the semi-finals or better at all nine of the Masters 1000 Series tournaments during their career.



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