Fourth seed Monfils falls in Dubai quarters
DUBAI: Gael Monfils fired down 10 aces but the fourth seed still crashed out 6-3, 7-5 to Fernando Verdasco in the quarterfinals of the Dubai Championships on Thursday.
The French showman was unable to make a major impression in a match which was paused for almost half an hour in the closing stages due to light rain.
Spain’s Verdasco will play his second semifinal of the season on Friday, facing Dutchman Robin Haase, winner over Bosnian Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 4-6, 6-4.
World No. 1 Andy Murray will aim for the final four later, facing German Philipp Kohlschreiber.
Russian qualifier Evgeny Donskoy, who sensationally knocked out Roger Federer in the second round, will put his form to a follow-up test when he plays French seventh seed Lucas Pouille.
Monfils lost for the first time in four meetings against Verdasco, with the unseeded Spaniard taking charge from the start.
Verdasco spent 35 minutes in winning the opening set and set about consolidating in the second.
The 33-year-old, ranked 35th, broke for 3-2 with Monfils saving three break points in the seventh game to stay in touch.
But Verdasco then produced a love game, 5-3, just before rain stopped play. The Spaniard finally prevailed after 81 minutes.
“I played almost a perfect match,” Verdasco said. “I’m very happy, it was a really complete match in all the ways that you can imagine.
“After the rain delay I tried to be focused, just looking for the next point and trying to keep doing the same as before the rain.
“I’m very happy I’m in the semifinals now. I’ll try to recover and get ready for tomorrow.” World No. 2 Novak Djokovic battled into the quarterfinals of the ATP Acapulco event on Wednesday, rallying 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 last eight, with second-seeded Rafael Nadal, number three Marin Cilic and fourth-seeded defending champion Dominic Thiem all 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 champion del Potro after falling a break down in the third set.
He broke back immediately to level the set at 4-4 then held at love to pile the pressure on del Potro — who fended off one match point with a service winner but couldn’t hold off Djokovic on the next.
“Every match that I’ve played against delPo in the past couple of years has been very close, really enjoyable to play and great for the crowd to watch,” said Djokovic. “I am very happy and proud to win this match, even though I was close to losing when he was serving at 4-3 up in the third set.
“I just tried to get as many returns back in play as possible.”
The Serbian advanced to a quarterfinal clash with Australia’s Nick Kyrgios, a 6-2, 6-4 winner over American Donald Young. Djokovic’s travails in a match lasting two hours and 38 minutes were a far cry from Nadal’s comprehensive 6-1, 6-1 victory over Paolo Lorenzi.
“I played a complete match today and I’m feeling great after a month without playing,” said Nadal, a twotime winner in Acapulco who is playing his first tournament since falling to Roger Federer in the Australian Open final.
“I think I played a very solid match ... some great shots, some good winners,” added the Spaniard, who dropped just seven points on his serve and never faced a break point against the 38thranked Italian.
Nadal broke Lorenzi for the fifth time in the final game of the match, delivering a stinging forehand winner to wrap up the win in just 66 minutes.
Nadal next faces Japanese qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka, a 6-4, 3-6, 6-0 winner over Australian lucky loser Jordan Thompson.
Cilic booked his quarter-final berth with a 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 victory over fellow Croatian Borna Coric.
Cilic, the 2014 US Open champion, remained unbeaten against his 20-yearold compatriot.
He fired a dozen aces, and broke Coric three times in the match — including twice in the final set to set up a clash with American Steve Johnson, a 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 winner over American wildcard Ernesto Escobedo.
Austria’s Thiem advanced with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Adrian Mannarino.
Thiem, winner at Rio de Janeiro last week, booked a meeting with American Sam Querrey, who toppled fifth-seeded Belgian David Goffin 6-2, 6-3.
Djokovic battles into Acapulco quarterfinals