Djokovic joins Murray in last 8, Wawrinka exits
Print Edition
BOTH feeling refreshed and recharged, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray each won in straight sets yesterday to reach the quarterfinals at the Shanghai Rolex Masters.
The top-ranked Djokovic was broken once in a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Vasek Pospisil, improving his record at the tournament to 26-3. Murray was even better: He won 21 of 22 points on his first serve and made only 10 errors in a 6-1, 6-3 win over 13th-seeded Lucas Pouille.
Both players have said they feel energized this week after taking time off following the US Open.
Djokovic hasn’t played at all because of an elbow injury, pulling out of the China Open in Beijing last week. He said he used the time away to recover after a mentally exhausting summer, find more balance in his life, and rediscover his passion for the game.
Djokovic said the rest and mental adjustments are already helping him on the court, too. Despite dropping serve once, he said he played a nearly complete match against Pospisil.
“I was very pleased with the way I have played from the first to last point. I don’t think I have dropped my level at all.”
Murray has played more in recent weeks, leading Britain against Argentina in the Davis Cup semifinals and then capturing the China Open title. But he also had some downtime.
“My body felt so much better after taking like seven, eight days off of complete rest, which I hadn’t had for quite a long time,” Murray said. “I’m really, really happy and glad now that I did that. It’s obviously working out well for me just now.”
Murray hasn’t dropped a set in his last eight matches, going back to his victory over Guido Pella in the Davis Cup last month.
US Open champion Stan Wawrinka didn’t look nearly as fresh last night. The third-seeded Swiss had 43 unforced errors in a 4-6, 4-6 loss to Gilles Simon.
Sixth-seeded Gael Monfils was knocked out, too. He fell to David Goffin 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Jack Sock notched another breakthrough in what’s been his best season on tour, rebounding to beat Milos Raonic 0-6, 6-4, 7-6 (8) and reach his first Masters-level quarterfinal.
It was also Sock’s first win over the fifth-seeded Raonic since 2013; he had lost eight straight to the Canadian since then, many ending in tiebreakers.
The American next plays Simon for a spot in the semifinals.
Alexander and Mischa Zverev had a chance to put the brothers in the final eight, but only one prevailed.
Mischa, ranked No. 110, beat Marcel Granollers 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-1 to become the first qualifier to reach a Masters quarterfinal this year. Playing simultaneously on the stadium court, younger brother Alexander lost to ninth-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-7 (4), 2-6, 5-7.
Mischa next plays Djokovic. Murray, in the bottom half of the draw, will face Goffin.
In China’s Hong Kong, top-ranked Angelique Kerber quickly finished off her rain-delayed second-round match against Louisa Chirico at the Hong Kong Open yesterday, dropping just one game to prevail 6-2, 3-6, 6-2.
Kerber was leading Chirico 2-1 in the third set when the match was halted on Wednesday due to rain.
Second-seeded Venus Williams was defeated by Alize Cornet 2-6, 6-3, 2-6, while third-seeded Johanna Konta withdrew with an abdominal strain.
Konta’s withdrawal puts her chances of qualifying for the season-ending WTA Finals at risk. She is currently in the eighth and final spot in the standings for the finale in Singapore.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
