Djokovic reaches last 8 but Li falls to Jankovic
Source: Agencies |
May 17, 2013, Friday
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Print Edition
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WORLD No. 1 Novak Djokovic made short work of Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov to reach the quarterfinals of the Italian Open in Rome yesterday with a 6-1 6-4 win.
There was surprise in the women's draw, however, when former French Open champion Li Na was sent packing in the third round. The fifth-seeded Chinese fell 6-7 (2), 5-7 to Djokovic's Serbian compatriot Jelena Jankovic, a former No. 1 ranked player.
Italian seventh seed Sara Errani, runner-up in Paris a year ago to Russian Maria Sharapova, advanced to the quarterfinals as Maria Kirilenko, also from Russia, quit trailing 3-6, 0-2 with a knee injury.
Djokovic, back in his stride after his shock second-round defeat to Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov in Madrid last week, had too much power and control for the 23rd-ranked Dolgopolov and brushed him aside in exactly an hour after play had been briefly delayed by rain.
The pony-tailed Dolgopolov, wearing a custard-yellow shirt, missed two chances to break Djokovic in the sixth game of the second set and surrendered the final game to 15 when the Serbian hit a forehand winner.
"That is exactly what I was looking for in my game," Djokovic said.
He refused to dwell on his Madrid defeat, when the crowd turned against him after he questioned several line calls.
"What happened on the court that night, I will forget about it," said Djokovic, who now faces Tomas Berdych after the sixth seed defeated South African Kevin Anderson 7-5, 6-2.
Berdych came back from a break down in the opening set on the Foro Italico clay to level at 4-4 and never looked back.
The 27-year-old Czech, though, will have to step up his game against Djokovic who has beaten him 13 times in 14 previous meetings.
There was surprise in the women's draw, however, when former French Open champion Li Na was sent packing in the third round. The fifth-seeded Chinese fell 6-7 (2), 5-7 to Djokovic's Serbian compatriot Jelena Jankovic, a former No. 1 ranked player.
Italian seventh seed Sara Errani, runner-up in Paris a year ago to Russian Maria Sharapova, advanced to the quarterfinals as Maria Kirilenko, also from Russia, quit trailing 3-6, 0-2 with a knee injury.
Djokovic, back in his stride after his shock second-round defeat to Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov in Madrid last week, had too much power and control for the 23rd-ranked Dolgopolov and brushed him aside in exactly an hour after play had been briefly delayed by rain.
The pony-tailed Dolgopolov, wearing a custard-yellow shirt, missed two chances to break Djokovic in the sixth game of the second set and surrendered the final game to 15 when the Serbian hit a forehand winner.
"That is exactly what I was looking for in my game," Djokovic said.
He refused to dwell on his Madrid defeat, when the crowd turned against him after he questioned several line calls.
"What happened on the court that night, I will forget about it," said Djokovic, who now faces Tomas Berdych after the sixth seed defeated South African Kevin Anderson 7-5, 6-2.
Berdych came back from a break down in the opening set on the Foro Italico clay to level at 4-4 and never looked back.
The 27-year-old Czech, though, will have to step up his game against Djokovic who has beaten him 13 times in 14 previous meetings.
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