Djokovic takes aim at elusive title in Ohio
MASON, Ohio — Novak Djokovic destroyed a racket to get on track and took another step toward the title that has eluded him.
Enraged by his poor play in the opening set, Djokovic slammed his racket on the court and rallied for a 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 victory over Milos Raonic on Friday night to reach the semifinals of the Western & Southern Open, the only ATP Masters event he has yet to win.
After his passing shot finished the 2-hour, 30minute match, Djokovic led the crowd in cheers and pumped his fist, ending a long day with an impromptu celebration. He beat defending champion Grigor Dimitrov a few hours earlier, completing a match suspended overnight because of rain and returned a few hours later to play a rested opponent.
“Quite a roller-coaster, to be honest,” he said.
Djokovic has reached the finals of the Ohio tournament five times and lost every time. He is trying to become the first to win all nine ATP Masters 1000 championships. He next will face Marin Cilic, who also won twice Friday to reach the semifinals. Cilic beat
Karen Khachanov in three sets, completing a suspended match, and got a 7-6 (7), 6-4 victory over Pablo Carreno
Busta, who was playing his only match of the day.
Several days of rain turned the quarterfinals into an endurance test. Six men's and three women's singles matches were held over from Thursday because of rain.
Roger Federer and Simona Halep made quick work of their raindelayed matches and advanced to the quarterfinals, facing the daunting challenge of playing a few hours later in humid conditions.
Federer — the top player left in the men's bracket after No. 1 Rafael
Nadal withdrew to get some rest — needed only 72 minutes to beat Leonardo Mayer 6-1, 7-6 (6. After a few hours of rest, Federer was back on the court to face fellow Swiss player Stan Wawrinka, who had advanced with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Marton
Fucsovics. Despite losing the first set, Federer rebounded to win 6-7 (2), 7-6 (6), 6-2.
On the women's side, the top-ranked Halep beat Ashleigh Barty 7-5, 6-4 early in the afternoon to reach the quarterfinals and then returned to knock off Lesia Tsurenko 6-4, 6-1.
In a match between rested players, Petra Kvitova beat Elise Mertens 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 to reach the semifinals.
English, Brett Stegmaier and Sergio Garcia were at 9 under. In other news:
• Sung Hyun Park shot a 9-under 63 for a share of the lead with
Lizette Salas after the suspended second round of the Indy Women in Tech Championship. Salas, the first-round leader after a 62, had a 69 to match Park at 13 under at Brickyard Crossing in Indianapolis. Danielle
Kang (68) and Nasa
Hataoka (69) were two shots back.
• Doug Garwood birdied the final three holes for an 8-under 64 and the first-round lead in the Dick's Sporting Goods Open in Endicott, N.Y. Garwood had nine birdies and a bogey, playing his final nine holes — the front nine at En-Joie Golf Club — in 6-under 31. Michael Bradley and
Marco Dawson shot 65 to share second place. Woody Austin and Clark Dennis followed at66.