Federer upset by qualifier Donskoy in Dubai Open
DUBAI: Sluggish Roger Federer rued a “crazy” failure to bury three match points in falling to a shock three-set defeat to Russian qualifier Evgeny Donskoy in Dubai on Wednesday.
Former world number one Federer, 35, who lifted his 18th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January, had match points in the second-set tiebreak and also led 5-1 in the third-set breaker. But world-ranked 116 Donskoy battled back to stun the third seed and set up a quarter-final clash against Lucas Pouille of France with a thrilling 3-6, 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/5) victory.
It was just the third time since 2007 that Federer has been beaten by a qualifier. “I just never really got going tonight and sort of felt heavy. But look, those matches happen frequently, where you just got to somehow find a way to come through,” said the Swiss, who was chasing a record eighth title at the Dubai Championships. tim Garcia-lopez had not faced off since 2012, with the Spaniard winning their last meeting a Indian Wells. But there was never a hint of a repeat. After the firs four games lasting half an hour the pace picked up with Murray winning the first set. He tight ened his grip, losing just one poin on his serve in the second set on his way to a dominant victory.
BOPANNA, MATKOWSKI REACH SEMIS
India’s Rohan Bopanna, playing with his fourth different partner of the season, joined forces with Marcin Matkowski to reach the doubles semifinals at Dubai. The unseeded Indo-polish pair knocked out Romania’s Florin Mergea and Serbia’s Viktor Tro icki 6-3 6-4 in the quarterfinals.
DJOKOVIC, NADAL BATTLE INTO QUARTERS
ACAPULCO: World number two Novak Djokovic battled into the quarter-finals of the ATP Aca pulco event on Wednesday, rally ing for a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 triumph over Juan Martin del Potro.
The Serbian star led a parade of the top four seeds into the las eight, with second-seeded Rafae Nadal, number three Marin Cilic and fourth-seeded defending champion Dominic Thiem al advancing. Top-seeded Djokovic back in action this week for the first time since his shock second round exit at the Australian Open in January, had to dig deep against former US Open cham pion del Potro after falling a