Djokovic not distracted by fears over ranking
Print Edition
Novak Djokovic denied being distracted by the threat of losing his No. 1 ranking after he edged through to the quarterfinals of the China Open in Beijing yesterday despite a “lack of concentration.”
The top seed remained on course to reclaim the title he won last year after he defeated Fernando Verdasco 7-5, 2-6, 6-2, while women’s top-ranked player Serena Williams also edged into the last eight.
The Serb’s status as the world No. 1 men’s player is under threat from the second seed in Beijing, Rafael Nadal, who has already made it to the last eight, and only needs to reach the final to claim the top spot.
Djokovic took the first set of his second-round match with relative ease, but his unbeaten run in Beijing stretching back to 2009 looked to be in danger when his Spanish opponent took the second set 6-2.
“I had some chances in the start of the second set and I managed to allow him to come back to the match and start playing well,” Djokovic said, adding that it was a “lack of concentration from my side.”
But he denied that the threat from Nadal was distracting him.
“I try to do what I need to do and that is to win the matches,” he said. “The rankings will change. They change all the time. Over the years that has been the case. You can’t think too much about it.
“Your job is to win as many matches as possible and the ranking will follow the results that you make.”
The 26-year-old regained his composure in the third set, breaking Verdasco to race to a 3-0 lead, before breaking him again in the final game.
Djokovic faces Sam Querrey in the next round. The American dumped out the sixth seed Stanislas Warwinka 6-3, 7-6(7/2). French fifth seed Richard Gasquet defeated Australia’s Bernard Tomic 7-6(7/2), 6-4.
In the women’s edition, world No. 1 Serena Williams claimed victory over Maria Kirilenko in two unconvincing sets, with the scores finishing 7-5, 7-5. In the quarterfinals, Williams will play Caroline Wozniacki, who beat Sloane Stephens 6-3, 6-1.
Czech Lucie Safarova ended Andrea Petkovic’s fairytale China Open with a hard-fought 6-4, 6-7(7/4), 7-6(7-2) victory. Polish third seed Agnieszka Radwanska powered through with a ruthless 6-0, 6-2 victory over Slovenian Polona Hercog. Seventh seed Angelique Kerber and eighth seed Jelena Jankovic also safety negotiated passages through to the last eight.
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