Djokovic battles past Nikoloz to enter Qatar Open semis
For second game in a row, world No. 1 rallies from a set down but insists he can shift gears
DOHA: World number one Novak Djokovic won another gruelling battle in Doha to continue his unbeaten start to the year and progress to the Qatar Open semifinals.
The Serb came from a set down, just like in his previous match, to beat Georgia’s Nikoloz Basilashvili 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a match lasting almost two hours.
Djokovic will play Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut in Friday’s semi-final, who beat three-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka in straight sets 6-4, 6-4.
And, ominously, for his opponents said he still plenty of room for improvement.
“I feel I have a gear or two (to go) up still,” said Djokovic.
“Under the circumstances I managed to find a way to win against a player that is hitting the ball very fast and just being very aggressive and it’s hard to predict where the ball is going to go with a player like him.”
It was the first time Djokovic has won back-to-back matches from a set down since Cincinnati in August last year, a tournament he went on to win.
As on the previous evening, where he struggled against Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics, the Serb started slowly.
He lost his first service game and never recovered the break as Basilashvili, the number five seed, powered by a blistering forehand took the first set.
However, Djokovic’s fortunes changed in the second set when he broke the Georgian in the fifth game and slowly took control of the match.
By contrast, Djokovic’s opponent in the semi-final is yet to drop a set this week.
However, the Serb, twice a previous tournament winner in Doha, remains the overwhelming favourite to win the tournament and now has a 15-1 record overall in Doha.
Also through to the semi-finals is Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic who brushed aside France’s Pierre-hugues Herbert, one of the surprises of the tournament, 6-2, 6-4.
The last semi-final spot went to Italy’s Marco Cecchinato who beat Dusan Lajovic of Serbia 7-6 (7/2), 6-2.
ANDREESCU UPSETS VENUS WILLIAMS
AUCKLAND: Canadian teenager Bianca Andreescu knocked off another former No. 1 on Friday, beating seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams 6-7 (1) 6-1, 6-3 to reach the semi-finals at the ASB Classic.
The 18-year-old Andreescu, who is ranked 152nd in the world and had to go through qualifying to make the tournament, defeated top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki in the second round.
SHARAPOVA SUFFERS INJURY BLOW
BEIJING : Former world number one Maria Sharapova’s Australian Open preparations suffered a blow after a thigh injury forced her to retire from the Shenzhen Open quarter-final clash against Aryna Sabalenka on Friday.
Sharapova struggled to move on court and conceded the opening set 6-1, with coach Thomas Hogstedt urging the Russian to take her game to the next level or
call for a medical timeout.
MEDVEDEV BEATS RAONIC TO ENTER LAST 4
BRISBANE: Fourth-seeded Daniil Medvedev has beaten Milos Raonic 6-7 (2), 6-3, 6-4 to reach the semi-finals at the Brisbane International. The score was level at 4-4 in the third, when Medvedev got the decisive break on a succession of unforced errors from 2016 Brisbane champion Raonic.
GERMANS TO FACE SWISS IN HOPMAN FINAL
PERTH: Angelique Kerber and Alexander Zverev cruised through their singles matches on Friday as Germany defeated Australia 2-1 to set up a Hopman Cup title clash with holders Switzerland. Kerber and Zverev will take on Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic on Saturday in a repeat of last year’s final.
They will attempt to avenge their 2-1 defeat by the Swiss in 2018 and secure a first trophy in the mixed team competition for Germany since 1995.
“It’s nice to be back in a final. It’s nice to play Switzerland as well,” ATP Finals champion Zverev said. Australia claimed the dead mixed doubles rubber 4-0 4-3(1) to sign off with a consolation win.