Novak Djokovic is just one win away from securing his 100th career title after powering past Grigor Dimitrov in front of Argentine football great Lionel Messi to reach the Miami Open final.
The 24-time Grand Slam title-winner made quick work of his Bulgarian opponent sealing a 6-2 6-3 win in just 69 minutes and will now take on unseeded Czech Jakub Mensik teenager in Sunday's showpiece.
A record-extending seventh Miami crown would be his first since Djokovic took on old playing rival Andy Murray as his coach and will see him join Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103) as the only men to reach a century career titles.
“After the Olympics, which was my 99th title, I knew that every tournament I play, I am going for 100,” Djokovic said.
“I wasn't able to achieve that – until hopefully Sunday. I am going to go all in. I haven't dropped a set. I'm playing really good tennis, as good as I've played in a long time.”
After being broken to start the match, Djokovic quickly settled in, breaking back in the next game and again for a 4-2 advantage on a mis-hit forehand by 14th seed Dimitrov.
The Serbian pocketed the first set when Dimitrov's volley sailed long and he maintained the momentum in the second to race to a 3-0 lead.
Djokovic, 37, pounded an unreturnable serve on his second match point to improve to a 13-1 career record against Dimitrov.
The fourth seed's serving masterclass in South Florida showed no sign of letting up in the semi-final. He missed just six first serves while pounding five aces to one double fault.
“After that first game, where I don't think I did anything wrong he just played a phenomenal game to break my serve, I just felt I was in the flow,” Djokovic told the Tennis Channel.
“I was playing all the right shots, making him play an extra shot … overall another great straight-sets win to put myself in a fantastic position to fight for a trophy.
“It was tricky out there, the wind was swirling around and not consistent, but I have not dropped a set in this tournament and I feel as good as I have since the Olympics.”
And among the crowd at Hard Rock Stadium was eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi who currently plies his trade at Major League Soccer side Inter Miami.
“Amazing to have him, a great honour,” Djokovic said of Messi. “I admire him as most of the world for most of his career so it’s amazing that he keeps going. We're the same age, born in '87, so it's quite nice to have him around.”
Mensic, 19, highlighted a surprise meeting with Messi as being a factor in his 7-6, 4-6, 7-6 marathon victory over third seed Taylor Fritz which sealed his first spot in a Masters 1000 final.
Messi went into the locker-rooms in Florida to meet Djokovic after his earlier win over Grigor Dimitrov, and was also introduced to Mensik.
“Meeting this legend, not even a human, it's not happening every day,” said Mensik.
“I just chilled with him a bit and shook his hand. And after shaking that hand, I didn't wash it before the match, you know, to bring me some luck, so probably that was the key for me today,” he said with a smile.
Mensik – who has never been beyond the third round of a Grand Slam – certainly had Messi on his mind at the end of the game when after his victory he wrote on the camera lens “Thank you Leo”.
“It's not just that he has won those Champions Leagues and World Cups and everything, [it was] seeing he's also a human,” he added. “It's really awesome that the dream came true”.
The Hard Rock Stadium will host Messi's games with Inter Miami in June's expanded Fifa Club World Cup tournament which sees them take on Egyptian side Al Ahly, Portuguese club Porto and Palmeiras of Brazil.
