{"id":36759,"date":"2025-03-28T09:37:15","date_gmt":"2025-03-28T09:37:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=36759"},"modified":"2025-03-28T09:37:15","modified_gmt":"2025-03-28T09:37:15","slug":"novak-djokovic-breaks-roger-federers-record-for-oldest-player-ever-to-reach-a-masters-1000-semifinal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=36759","title":{"rendered":"Novak Djokovic breaks Roger Federer’s record for oldest player ever to reach a Masters 1000 semifinal"},"content":{"rendered":"

At 37 years and 10 months, he’s through to the incredible 79th Masters 1000 semifinal of his career at the Miami Open.<\/p>\n

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At 37 years and 10 months, Novak Djokovic has broken the record for oldest Masters 1000 semifinalist in history, after defeating American Sebastian Korda, 6-3, 7-6 (4), in the quarterfinals of Miami on Thursday.<\/p>\n

He surpasses the previous record held by Roger Federer, who was 37 years and 7 months when he reached the semifinals\u2014and eventually went on to capture the title\u2014at the same event, the Miami Open, in 2019.<\/p>\n

The two men now make up the entire Top 10 list of oldest semifinalists at Masters 1000 events, a level of tournament that began in 1990.<\/p>\n

OLDEST MASTERS 1000 SEMIFINALISTS<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

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  • 37 years, 10 months: Djokovic at 2025 Miami<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • 37 years, 7 months: Federer at 2019 Miami<\/li>\n
  • 37 years, 7 months: Federer at 2019 Indian Wells<\/li>\n
  • 37 years, 4 months: Djokovic at 2024 Shanghai<\/li>\n
  • 37 years, 2 months: Federer at 2018 Paris<\/li>\n
  • 37 years, 2 months: Federer at 2018 Shanghai<\/li>\n
  • 37 years, 0 months: Federer at 2018 Cincinnati<\/li>\n
  • 36 years, 10 months: Djokovic at 2024 Monte Carlo<\/li>\n
  • 36 years, 7 months: Federer at 2018 Indian Wells<\/li>\n
  • 36 years, 5 months: Djokovic at 2023 Paris<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Before today there was\u00a0one<\/em>\u00a0other name on the list, in 10th place\u2014John Isner, who made the semis in Canada in 2021 at 36 years and 3 months.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    \"Djokovic<\/picture><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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    Djokovic reached the first of his now-79 Masters 1000 semifinals almost half a lifetime ago, as a 19-year-old at Indian Wells in 2007\u2014and made the final there, too.<\/p>\n

    \u00a9\u00a02025 Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    Korda nearly defeated Djokovic in their only previous meeting, holding a match point before ultimately falling in the final of the Australian Open lead-up event in Adelaide two years ago, 6-7 (8), 7-6 (3), 6-4, and after a quick 29-minute first set on Thursday\u2014in which Djokovic won the last dozen points in a row\u2014Korda gave him another scare in the second set.<\/p>\n

    The American broke for the first time in the match for a 2-0 lead in the second set, held for 3-0 and ended up hanging onto that lead for much of the set, going up 4-1 and even 5-2. But Djokovic never went away, eventually breaking back and holding for 5-all, and then a few more holds later winning the tie-break to close it out in straight sets.<\/p>\n

    It was a high quality match from both sides, as both players finished with more winners than unforced errors\u2014Djokovic 18 to 17, Korda 19 to 18.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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