Djokovic up against Murray in Madrid

MADRID: World number one Novak Djokovic began his quest for a fourth Madrid Open title with a 6-3 6-2 victory over Gael Monfils on Tuesday, improving his unbeaten record to 18-0 against the Frenchman.

The result ensures Djokovic remains at the top of the rankings while it earned Monfils the ignominy of having the worst record against a single opponent without winning in the Open era.

“I would probably rate it as the best performance of the year,” Djokovic told reporters. “I felt very good on the court. (The rain) interruption probably helped me a bit more than him.”

The top seed was well in control of proceedings, breaking twice in the second set before serving for the match to advance to the third round where he will meet Andy Murray. Murray claimed his second clay victory in five years with a 6-1 3-6 6-2 win over Canada’s Denis Shapovalov, who fought back in the second set to force a decider but was crushed once again by the Scot in the third set.

Andrey Rublev, who won the Serbia Open last month after beating Djokovic in the final, survived an early scare to edge Britain’s 20-year-old Jack Draper 2-6 6-4 7-5. Seventh seed Carlos Alcaraz also had to fight back to overpower Nikoloz Basilashvili and deny the Georgian the chance to force a decider with a 6-3 7-5 win.

Halep, Raducanu exit

Ons Jabeur marched into the semi-finals of the Madrid Open with a crushing 6-3, 6-2 win over former world number one Simona Halep. The first ever Arab tennis player to crack the top 10, Jabeur is through to the second WTA 1000 semi-final of her caree

Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina, who beat Sloane Stephens and Garbine Muguruza in the earlier rounds, knocked out a third Grand Slam champion in ninth seed Emma Raducanu 6-2 2-6, 6-4 to move into the quarters.