38-Year-Old Djokovic Reaches 80th Masters 1000 Semifinal

On October 10th, 2025, tennis legend Novak Djokovic continued to rewrite the record books, reaching his 80th ATP Masters 1000 semifinal at the age of 38. This remarkable achievement has seen him pull further clear of his rivals, Rafael Nadal (76) and Roger Federer (66), as the only players in history to have surpassed 50 semifinal appearances at this elite level.

Djokovic's journey to the semifinals was not without its challenges, as he had to battle past Belgian qualifier Zizou Bergs in a testing quarterfinal match. Despite the straight-sets victory, the match was anything but routine, with Bergs pushing the world number one to the limit.

Awaiting Djokovic in the semifinals is one of the most unlikely challengers of the year – world number 204 Valentin Vacherot, a Monegasque qualifier who has stunned the draw with a series of upsets. Vacherot's improbable journey will propel him into the top 100 next week, a remarkable comeback after spending half of last year sidelined by injury.

The 25-year-old qualifier has described facing Djokovic as a career highlight, stating that "it would mean a lot to play at least one of the guys of the 'Big Three' in my career." As the veteran Djokovic continues to defy the odds, the stage is set for a captivating semifinal clash between the established champion and the rising underdog.