Djokovic v Nishikori set for Miami decider

Top seed Novak Djokovic overcame a strong challenge from Belgium’s David Goffin to reach the Miami Open final with a 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 victory as he continues his pursuit of a fifth title in six years on Key Biscayne.

He will meet sixth-seeded Kei Nishikori, who earned a finals shot at the world No.1 with a 6-3 7-5 victory over rising Australian Nick Kyrgios.

At 20 years and 11 months, Kyrgios will have to settle for his new status as the youngest player in the world’s top 20 following his march to the first Masters 1000 semifinal of his career.

Earlier on Friday, Serbia’s Djokovic shrugged off a slow start before hitting his stride, sealing the win with a powerful first serve that forced a wayward Goffin return to end an encounter that lasted just over two hours.

Australian Open champion Djokovic improved his stellar record for the year to 27-1.

The 28-year-old Djokovic, a five-times champion in Miami, is bidding to match Andre Agassi’s record of six titles at the event and earn a record 28th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crown.

Djokovic and Goffin traded service breaks in the seventh and eighth games of the match before taking a marathon opening set into a tiebreak, which the Serb clinched 7-5 after his opponent, reaching high for a lob, hit a backhand volley into the net.

The second set went with serve until the seventh game when the 15th-seeded Goffin hit a forehand long before netting a backhand to be broken and trail 3-4.

Djokovic then comfortably served out to book his place in Sunday’s final at Crandon Park, where he will seek to add another Miami Open crown to his previous titles in 2007, 2011, 2012, 2014 and last year.