Cincinnati Masters: Novak Djokovic Set Up Final Match Against Milos Raonic

 

Novak Djokovic reached his eighth final of the Western & Southern Open by routing Spanish opponent Roberto Bautista-Agut in the semis to set up a final match against Milos Raonic. 

The Spaniard forced a set win and set up Djokovic for a big show of contest but the world number came back stronger to claim the second set en route his victory in three sets by 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(0). Losing the opening set was the top seed's first in this tournament. 

"I was very close to winning. I served for the match and I was two points away," Bautista said. "I can take the other way and think that I made a good comeback to the tour-level. I played really good matches this week, and I was serving for the match against the No. 1."

Bautista-Agut rallied strongly from 5-2 in the decider to force Djokovic into a tie-break after he served for the match at 6-5. However, he could not make anything of the break. 

"I don't know how I won it, to be honest," Djokovic admitted. "He was the better player. I just didn't feel good on the court at all, in any aspect of my game and of the body. But somehow, I managed to pull this one through."