Novak Djokovic leaned into a rising atmosphere at the Vanda Pharmaceuticals Hellenic Championship to defeat Nuno Borges and reach the semifinals. After a short practice on Center Court, the top seed needed time to find his range but ultimately managed the key moments against the Portuguese opponent.

Djokovic took the opener in a tie-break and secured the only break of the match in the seventh game of the second set. The 38-year-old closed out a 7-6 (1), 6-4 win in one hour and 43 minutes with a forehand winner down the line. He won 88 percent of his first-service points and in doing so became the first active player on the ATP Tour to record 200 indoor wins.

“Kalispéra,” Djokovic greeted the spectators in Greek at the start of his on-court interview before reacting to his latest encounter.

“It was a very physical battle. I thought Nuno played a high level. I served well in the important moments. There weren’t too many opportunities. I was a bit surprised with how good he played. I think we went toe to toe, most of the match,” said Djokovic.

“Just a few points decided the winner tonight and he deserves a round of applause for his performance. I played a great tie-break in the first set. Not too many opportunities for both of us to break the serve of the other guy. That game was the only game I was able to break him.”

Djokovic also praised the local support. “The support by the crowd is amazing and it gets better. For me it’s like playing in Serbia. I am very thankful for that,” Djokovic stated.

Up next is German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann, who defeated Marcos Giron 7-6 (3), 6-4 to reach the last four. The 33-year-old Karlsruhe native struck nine aces, won 56 percent of the total points and advanced in one hour and 28 minutes to claim his ninth ATP Tour semifinal and his first since Chengdu in September last year.

The pair met recently at the Shanghai Masters, where Hanfmann pushed Djokovic to three sets. “It was really good match from start to finish,” Hanfmann said. “When I’m able to serve well again, I might have the chance to stay as long as possible in the match,” Hanfmann responded.

Lorenzo Musetti enters the Athens semifinals with a simple and urgent objective: win the Hellenic Championship and secure the final available place at the Nitto ATP Finals. The Italian advanced through the quarterfinals without the same drama as his opener, following a tight escape against Stan Wawrinka.

Seeded No. 2, Musetti was in control from the baseline against fifth-seeded Alexandre Muller, losing serve only once in a 6-2, 6-4 victory that moved him to the tournament’s halfway point on his path to Turin. “A better match, a better start also compared to yesterday. The key was today, I served really, really good,” he said in his on-court interview. “That gave me the confidence with the game to be more aggressive, especially with the forehand. That’s what I need to do in this kind of surface.”

The 23-year-old carries the weight of recent final losses and a longer title drought, seeking an indoor tour-level crown for the first time after last lifting a trophy in October 2022. He has lost his past five finals and knows a title here would keep his season alive with a return to the Finals.

Waiting in the semifinal is Sebastian Korda, who has collected three wins at the inaugural ATP 250 event and is aiming to finish the season inside the year-end Top 50. Korda has shown resilience in Athens, coming back from a set down in his first two matches before dispatching Miomir Kecmanovic 6-3, 6-2 while firing 13 aces. “I played a good match. I knew I had to play really well to beat Misha. He’s an incredible player, unbelievably solid from the back,” Korda told the crowd. “I’m excited to end the year at a great tournament and hopefully I can keep going. It’s pretty easy when you get fueled by some good food.”

Musetti acknowledged Korda’s comfort on indoor hard courts and insisted his focus will remain match by match. “I’m trying to think about match that I need to prepare. Sebastian is a really great opponent, especially in these conditions. He really likes to play on hard indoor,” he said. “It’s going to be a tough match. I need to focus on myself and what I have to do, not thinking too much on what’s coming next.”

Novak Djokovic continued to win over his new home crowd in Athens, defeating Nuno Borges 7-6 (1), 6-4 to reach the semifinals of the indoor hard-court event. The 24-time Grand Slam champion, who relocated to Greece earlier this year, closed out the match in straight sets to advance to the final four.

The victory moved Djokovic into the 199th tour-level semifinal of his career, the third-most for a man in the Open Era. Those semifinals include a record 53 at Grand Slams and 80 at Masters 1000 events, with Federer next on 46 Grand Slam semifinals and Nadal next with 76 at the Masters 1000 level.

Earlier in the day, Lorenzo Musetti recovered from a grueling win over Stan Wawrinka to post a more straightforward quarterfinal victory, beating Alexandre Muller 6-2, 6-4. Musetti’s run in Athens carries significant stakes for his season: he must win the title this week to qualify for this year’s ATP Finals. If he does not capture the Athens title, Felix Auger-Aliassime will become the eighth and final qualifier in Turin.

Djokovic’s progress to the semifinals adds another chapter to an already historic career, while Musetti’s path keeps his Finals hopes alive. Both players will head into the semifinal round with momentum from their quarterfinal performances and the chance to change the closing weeks of the 2025 season.