Novak Djokovic called the physio to court after forcing a deciding set during his semi-final against Andrey Rublev. The top seed dropped the opener but stormed back to win the second set in a tiebreak, drawing level at 5-7 7-6(3). As he left the court for a bathroom break he asked to see the trainer upon his return. And he received a medical time-out to have treatment on his back after stretching it out at the end of the second set.
For the third night in a row, Djokovic found himself going to a final set at the Paris Masters. The world No 1 stormed back from a set down against Rublev, dropping just three points in the second set tiebreak. But he could be seen stretching out during the breaker and requested the physio after taking it in 63 minutes.
The trainer was ready and waiting for the 36-year-old when he returned from an off-court break after getting changed. And Djokovic needed a medical time-out, laying on the floor as he received treatment on his back minutes after he was seen twisting side-to-side and bending forward to try and manage the problem.
While waiting for his opponent, Rublev went to the side of the court to speak to his coaches – something permitted under ATP rules while a rival player is receiving treatment. The 26-year-old kept things light with a brief chat rather than talking tactics before heading back to resume the match.
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Djokovic stepped back up to the baseline to start the third and final set at the conclusion of his medical time-out. The six-time champion in Bercy was looking to come back from a set down once again this week after pulling off a lucky escape against Tallon Griekspoor in the round-of-16 on Thursday.
He had also been dragged to a decider while facing Holger Rune in the quarter-final. The 20-year-old saved a match point in the second set and took it in a tiebreak but Djokovic managed to win in 7-5 6-7(3) 6-4, avenging his defeat to Rune in last year’s final on the same court.
The top seed tamed any fears that the back issue could be more serious when he held to love after resuming play. Both men were vying to take the final set and nab a spot in Sunday’s final with Grigor Dimitrov laying in wait.
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