Novak Djokovic has survived a formidable examination from Marin Cilic, coming from a set down to forge into the Paris Masters semi-finals and extend his winning streak to 21 matches.
Djokovic, who will return to world No.1 next week, had his personal best winning sequence of 30 consecutive sets ended as Cilic played almost flawlessly aggressive tennis to draw first blood in a magnificent duel on Friday.
Yet it only prompted Djokovic to increase his focus and produce some supreme play to turn the tide and prevail 4-6 6-2 6-3.
So intense was the Serb that even when he was fighting back in the second set, leading 5-2, he ended up screaming at his team, demanding to know why he hadn’t received the vitamin tablets he had been asking for.
After being broken to go 2-1 down in the final set, Djokovic smashed his racquet, accepted the code violation and fumed in his seat before immediately breaking back.
When in more peril at break point down at 3-3, Djokovic delivered an amazing game-saving backhand at full stretch, which perhaps helped break Cilic’s spirit as he squandered the next game before succumbing in two hours and 11 minutes.
Djokovic will next meet either Roger Federer or Kei Nishikori in the semi-finals as he seeks a record-extending fifth Paris Masters title.
Earlier, Russian Karen Khachanov upset young gun Alexander Zverev 6-1 6-2 to reach the other semi against Dominic Thiem, who beat defending champion Jack Sock 4-6 6-4 6-4.
Khachanov took ruthless advantage of the German’s physical struggles as Zverev, who was battling shoulder trouble, needed a medical time-out in the first set at 4-1 down.
The Muscovite deserved all the credit for the quality of his power game, however, as he broke the world No.5’s serve six times in 70 minutes to set up a date with Austrian Thiem, who beat champion Jack Sock 4-6 6-4 6-4.
Sock had made an unexpected return to form after a wretched year since his surprise Paris triumph but his renaissance ended when Thiem fought from a set down to take control in a tough two-and-a-quarter hour duel.