Copil, the World No 93, stunned second seed Alexander Zverev of Germany 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-4 in the day's other semi-final.
Grit, determination, nerves were all on show at the US Open final.
Roger Federer celebrated his return to the top of the world rankings with his second title of the season, swatting aside Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-2 in the final of the ABN AMRO World Tournament in Rotterdam on Sunday.
Djokovic will need to win in Tokyo and then the US Open later this year to achieve the feat that has so far only been accomplished by Steffi Graf in 1988.
Photos from the ATP World Tour Finals matches played in London on Tuesday.
Novak Djokovic felt he was a different player to the Wimbledon winner of old but comparisons were inevitable on Wednesday as the Serb rolled into the semi-finals for the first time since 2015.
Images from Day 9 at the French Open.
Alexander Zverev suffered a surprise defeat against Frenchman Ugo Humbert
Andy Murray crushed Stan Wawrinka 6-4, 6-2 to win his group at the ATP World Tour Finals on Friday and stay on course for a season-ending climax with Novak Djokovic.
The eight men to watch during the US Open which starts on Monday.
Defending US Open champion Rafael Nadal and twice winner Novak Djokovic are one victory away from renewing their rivalry in the final with both expected to get through their semis on Friday.
ATP says 'no evidence' against Harrison's racist remarks
The World No 1 beat Japan's Kei Nishikori for his 63rd career title
Former world number one Novak Djokovic showed signs of rediscovering his form with a dominant 6-0, 6-1 victory over Dusan Lajovic in the opening round of the Monte Carlo Masters.
Venus Williams, Coco Gauff pair up to play doubles at French Open.
The absence of Japan's Kei Nishikori from this year's Australian Open has turned the spotlight on Chung Hyeon as Asia waits for its first men's Grand Slam singles champion.
Images from Day Nine of the French Open at Roland Garros on Monday.
Will it be Rafa versus Djoko in Sunday's final?
IMAGES from Day 8 of the US Open on Monday
The postponement of the Tokyo Olympics has disappointed athletes around the world but, if the coronavirus pandemic eases over the next few months, it could turn out to be a blessing for the tennis world.
Novak Djokovic handed Kei Nishikori a brutal lesson in hardcourt tennis as the Serb began his bid for a record fourth successive title at the ATP World Tour Finals with a 6-1, 6-1 win on Sunday.
Swiss tennis star Martina Hingis has said that Li Na's retirement was a loss to world tennis, while also crediting the Chinese ace of raising the game's profile in her home country and across Asia.
The Olympics are set to run from July 23 to Aug. 8 after being postponed in March last year over the coronavirus pandemic.
Some players and pundits have criticised the rule as being hard to police, spottily enforced and highly subjective, and called for the ban on coaching from the players' box to be lifted.
Top seed Simona Halep came back from 4-1 down in the deciding set to beat Elina Svitolina 6-3 3-6 6-4 in the Qatar Open semi-final on Friday, marking her first victory over the Ukrainian in nearly two years.
Marin Cilic hit all the right notes in a dominant 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 win over Kei Nishikori in the US Open final on Monday but it remains to be seen if the big Croatian is another one Slam wonder or perennial threat.
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal advanced to the quarter-finals of the BNP Paribas Open.
Rafael Nadal reached the final of the Swiss Indoor tournament when he beat Frenchman Richard Gasquet 6-4, 7-6(7) on Saturday, a result that was good news for fellow Spaniard David Ferrer.
The 33-year-old Swiss maestro produced a masterclass of shot-making as he thrashed Australian wildcard James Duckworth 6-0, 6-1 to charge into the semi-finals of the Australian Open warm-up event.
While all eyes will be on Nadal and Djokovic, US tennis legend John McEnroe said Andy Murray and Japan's Kei Nishikori are the two most likely players to spring a surprise.
Rafael Nadal set up an Italian Open semi-final with Stefanos Tsitsipas on Friday thanks to a 6-4, 6-0 win over Fernando Verdasco.
Eighteen time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer has climbed up to the fourth spot in the latest ATP rankings after lifting his third Miami Open title by beating long-time rival Rafael Nadal.
With Roger Federer missing due to injury, Andy Murray upset in the quarters and Rafael Nadal a fourth-round loser, Djokovic marches on in a quest for a 13th Grand Slam title without his familiar high profile rivals standing in the way.
Nadal has a habit of truly coming into his own at Roland Garros, as his 100-2 win-loss record testifies.
Andy Murray demolished Croatian teenager Borna Coric 6-1, 6-2 in the second round of the Paris Masters on Wednesday to set up a Davis Cup-flavoured clash with Belgium's David Goffin.
Djokovic had his personal best winning sequence of 30 consecutive sets ended as Cilic played almost flawlessly aggressive tennis to draw first blood in a magnificent duel.
Serbian tennis ace Novak Djokovic has continued his domination on an unchanged top 10 in the latest men's tennis rankings issued by the ATP on Monday.
Hosts Japan sailed into the Davis Cup quarter-finals for the first time with a 3-1 victory against injury-plagued Canada on Sunday.
Images from Day 6 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Saturday.
Novak Djokovic maintained his unbeaten record against Frenchman Gael Monfils with a 6-3, 6-2 win in the semi-finals of the Rogers Cup in Toronto on Saturday, while Japan's Kei Nishikori also reached the final after beating Swiss second seed Stan Wawrinka.
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