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Djokovic and Williams remain dominant

World number ones Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams are on course to retain their titles at the Miami Masters

Serena Williams is seeking her eight title in Miami
Serena Williams is seeking her eight title in Miami Reuters
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Djokovic and Williams - the world number ones on the men and women's tours aim to stamp their authority in Miami this weekend.

Two men hinder Novak Djokovic's quest to retain his title at the Miami Masters. The 27-year-old Serb will face John Isner on Saturday for a place in Sunday's final against either Andy Murray or Tomas Berdych.

Djokovic is aiming to win the Miami crown for a fifth time. He's also hoping to become the first man to claim the Indian Wells and Miami Masters double three times.

But he was made to work for his place in the semi-finals. The Spanish sixth seed David Ferrer enjoyed a double break in the opening set but eventually yielded it 7-5. The 33-year-old then appeared to have thrown himself a lifeline in the second set.

Novak Djokovic is in the hunt for his fifth Miami Masters
Novak Djokovic is in the hunt for his fifth Miami Masters Reuters

Djokovic lost the game while serving form the match at 5-4 up. He admitted the setback left him ruffled. "After being broken I wasn't feeling that great on the court. I didn't want to go into a third set," he said. "Luckily I played some great shots and was able to break again and I was able to capitalise on some opportunities when they were presented."

Twenty-nine year-old Isner stands at 2.08 metres and he thrilled the home crowds on Thursday night by outmanoeuvring the Japanese fifth seed Kay Nishikori 6-4 6-3. "I knew going into the match that I had to play extremely well to beat a player of his calibre," said Isner. "But I went onto the court with the belief that if I played the right way I can give him some problems and that's exactly what I did."

Djokovic overcame Isner on his way to the Indian Wells title a fortnight ago. Djokovic says he knows he's in for a stern test. "Look, he's probably the best server that we have in the game. He's got great technique. He's two metres eight and he can hit any angle he wants when he is serving and that's a huge asset. But hopefully the conditions will be slower and I can get some returns back in play and get into some rallies and play the way I played in Indian Wells. But even if I do that, it's going to be a close match."

Such a scenario isn't expected for the women's final on Saturday. Top seed Serena Williams will take on the Spanish 12th seed Carla Suarez Navarro. The two have met four times and the Spaniard has yet to win a set off the 19 time grand slam winner.

There will be huge home backing for Williams, who has made the Miami title something of a personal bauble. She's looking for her eighth title and - on paper - the 33-year-old passed her toughest examination by seeing off the Romanian third seed Simona Halep in a gruelling three set semi-final on Thursday night. Williams took the decider 7-5 after just over two hours of brutal baseline hitting.

With three days to go before the men's final, the partisans and the sponsors can still dream of home champions in both singles events. That hasn't happened since 2004 when Andy Roddick hoisted the men's trophy aloft hours after Serena Williams had won her third Miami title.

Roddick - now retired - is the only American man to have taken the Miami championship since then. And Serena Williams seems the only American woman capable of winning any of the circuit's major prizes.

 

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