The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)

Djokovic books Dubai final place

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Novak Djokovic saved three match points to maintain both his unbeaten start to the season and his perfect record against Gael Monfils in the semi-finals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championsh­ips yesterday.

Djokovic, who has not lost a singles match since the ATP Finals in London in November, had beaten Monfils in all 16 of their previous profession­al meetings dating back to 2005.

It looked like that record would come to an end when Monfils took advantage of an unusually-lacklustre display from Djokovic to ease through the first set and then led 6-3 in the second-set tie-break after saving a succession of set points.

But Frenchman Monfils, who had been looking for a third straight ATP Tour title, was unable to take any of them and eventually double-faulted on set point for Djokovic before wilting physically in the decider.

Djokovic was able to celebrate a 2-6 7-6 (8) 6-1 victory, setting up a final date with Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Tsitsipas had earlier booked his spot in the final for a second straight year with a 6-2 6-3 victory over surprise semi-finalist Dan Evans.

The Greek, who successful­ly defended the title in Marseille last weekend, lost to Roger Federer 12 months ago.

Heather Watson meanwhile toiled to a 6-3 1-6 6-1 victory to book her place in the last four of the Mexican Open.

The Briton took on world No 86 Christina McHale for a chance to play Xiyu Wang and looked comfortabl­e as she wrapped up the opening set inside 39 minutes.

A pair of breaks for the American saw Watson on the wrong end of a 5-1 scoreline in the second set with McHale converting her first set point to force a decider.

However Watson proved too good in the third, breaking for 3-1 and 5-1 before serving out the match.

Kyle Edmund lost his quarter-final clash with American Taylor Fritz in straight sets 6-4 6-3.

Fritz recorded 11 aces during the tie, with a break at 5-4 seeing the Briton lose the first set and two consecutiv­e dropped service games in the second proving costly.

World No 1 one Ashleigh Barty completed the Qatar Open semi-final line-up, with a hard-fought victory over two-time Grand Slam champion Garbine Muguruza.

The Australian lost the second set on a tie-break, but won her last eight clash 6-1 6-7 (4) 6-2 in Doha.

Up next for Barty, after her one hour and 51 minute encounter, is a match with 29-year-old Petra Kvitova.

Kvitova, a two-time Wimbledon winner, held her nerve against Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur to win 7-6 (2) 7-6 (4).

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