Novak Djokovic made a statement of intent at the ATP Paris Masters as he stormed into the semi-finals with a 6-1 6-2 demolition of Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Novak Djokovic served up a masterclass as he made light work of Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarter-finals of the ATP Paris Masters
Novak Djokovic made a statement of intent at the ATP Paris Masters as he stormed into the semi-finals with a 6-1 6-2 demolition of Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Djokovic will lose his status as world number one to Rafael Nadal next week but put in a rampant performance to which Tsitsipas had little response.
Having succumbed to seventh-ranked Tsitsipas in Shanghai last month, Djokovic took his revenge in a supremely confident fashion on Friday.
Djokovic had been under the weather heading into his previous match with Kyle Edmund, yet any doubts over his fitness were swiftly cast aside as a double break put him 4-0 up 18 minutes into the first set.
Tsitsipas clawed back three set points in his next service game, but it merely stalled the inevitable as Djokovic nosed ahead with his fifth chance.
With a sixth Paris semi-final firmly in his sights, four-time champion Djokovic did not let up – successive breaks putting the Serbian into a commanding position at 4-1.
Again, his Greek opponent managed to restore some pride when he held his next serve without conceding a point, but Djokovic had the match wrapped up when a delicate drop-shot forced Tsitsipas into an overhit return.
Gregor Dimitrov, who beat Cristian Garin earlier on Friday, awaits the top seed in the last four.