Djokovic sweeps into quarters
ROME: World number one Novak Djokovic swept into the Italian Open quarterfinals on Thursday with a straight-set wins over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in front of spectators who were allowed to watch in the Foro Italico for the first time.
The five-time Rome champion won through 6-2, 6-1 in 1hr 10min against the 48th-ranked Spaniard with the venue filled to 25 per cent of capacity.
“It was not good, it was great. I missed the crowd,” said the 33-year-old Serb. “It was nice to see them back.” After losing his opening service game, Djokovic powered back with five breaks of serve, outclassing his rival, despite a late fightback, to seal the win on his sixth match point.
“He started well, but I managed to break back straight away and establish the control and consistency.
“I thought I played at least 20-30 per cent better than on Monday.”
The 18-time Grand Slam winner next plays either Greek fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas or ninth seed Matteo Berrettini for a place in the semifinal.
BARTY, GAUFF ADVANCE
In the women’s section, world number one Ashleigh Barty eased into the quarterfinals with a straight-set win over Russian Veronika Kudermetova.
The top-seeded Australian won through 6-3, 6-3 to set up a clash with US teenager Coco Gauff who earlier ousted Madrid winner Aryna Sabalenka.
Barty, 25, lost to Sabalenka in last weekend’s Madrid final and is warming-up for the French Open which she won in 2019.
Belarus’ Sabalenka, the world number four and seventh seed, fell 7-5, 6-3 to the 17-year-old Gauff, ranked 35, who reached her fourth quarterfinal of the year.
“It will be great to see where my level is,” said Gauff of playing Barty.
“I mean, she’s the No 1 player in the world. I have no pressure on me.
“I’m just going to go out there and see what I can do and try my best.”
Six of the WTA’S top ten players have already exited the Foro Italico including second-seed Naomi Osaka of Japan, four-time Rome winner Serena Williams, Sofia Kenin and Petra Kvitova.
Defending champion Simona Halep, the third seed, was forced out with a calf injury in her secondround match.
“Hopefully I can continue that momentum into Paris,” continued Gauff of her bid to reach her second semifinal this year after Adelaide as she builds to the French Open.
“Obviously I want to keep going and keep going further. I’m not going to be satisfied until I reach my goal,” added Gauff who won her first WTA singles title at the 2019 Linz Open.
“Especially during that time people were saying, it’s a fluke, it will never happen again.
“I think I’ve proved all those people wrong. I’m going to continue to prove them wrong.”
It was not good, it was great. I missed the crowd. It was nice to see them back
NOVAK DJOKOVIC World No 1
Italian Open results
Men (third round) Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) bt Alejandro Davidovich (ESP) 6-2, 6-1; Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE x5) bt Matteo Berrettini (ITA x9) 7-6 (7/3), 6-2; Reilly Opelka (USA) bt Aslan Karatsev (RUS) 7-6 (8/6), 6-4
Women (third round) Ashleigh Barty (AUS x1) bt Veronika Kudermetova (RUS) 6-3, 6-3; Coco Gauff (USA) bt Aryna Sabalenka (BLR x7) 7-5, 6-3; Petra Martic (CRO) bt Nadia Podoroska (ARG) 3-6, 6-1, 6-2; Jessica Pegula (USA) bt Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS) 6-2, 6-4