Djokovic sets up duel with evergreen Haas
Source: AFP |
June 4, 2013, Tuesday
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WORLD No. 1 Novak Djokovic reached his 16th consecutive grand slam quarterfinal yesterday to set-up a French Open quarterfinal clash against evergreen Tommy Haas.
Top seed Djokovic carved out a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win over 16th seed Philipp Kohlschreiber with the German paying a high price for converting just two of 13 break points.
German 12th seed Haas, meanwhile, became the third oldest man at 35 to reach the last-eight with a comfortable 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 win over volatile Russian Mikhail Youzhny.
"It's very difficult to play against Philipp as he is a specialist on clay. After the first set, I played well so I am happy," said Djokovic. On facing Haas, against whom he has a 4-3 winning record, the Serb said: "I have a lot of respect for Tommy. He is playing well."
Djokovic, the runner-up to seven-time champion Rafael Nadal last year, needs a French Open title to complete a career grand slam. The last time he failed to reach the last-eight of a major was in Paris in 2009 when he lost in the fourth round to Monday's opponent.
Haas became the first German in 17 years to reach the quarterfinals and the oldest man to make the last eight at any grand slam since Andre Agassi at the 2005 US Open.
Haas, who made history in the third round when he needed a record 13 match points to beat John Isner, eased past Youzhny in just 84 minutes.
"It was a pretty good performance. I was broken in the first game but I got my bearings, got into the groove," said Haas, who is enjoying a renaissance in a career which has been decimated by a series of injuries and personal setbacks.
"He gave me a lot of unforced errors so I just kept doing what I was doing."
Only Pancho Gonzales, who was over 40 when he made the last eight in 1968, and 39-year-old Istvan Gulyas in 1971, have got this far at Haas's age in the tournament.
Oldest since 1971
"The oldest since 1971? I never thought it would be possible to have this success," said Haas.
Haas will be the first German in the last eight in Paris since Michael Stich and Bernd Karbacher in 1996.
In the women's play, third seed Victoria Azarenka reached the quarterfinals for the third time with a 6-3, 6-0 win over 2010 champion Francesca Schiavone.
The double Australian Open champion will now face Russian 12th seed Maria Kirilenko for a semifinal place.
The protagonists know each other well, not least as erstwhile doubles partners - they were runners-up at the 2011 Australian Open while Azarenka saw off Kirilenko in the London Olympics bronze medal match last summer.
In her fourth round match, Kirilenko, despite needing treatment for a sore shoulder, saw off unseeded Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the United States 7-5, 6-4 to reach the last eight for the first time despite losing the opening three games.
The 26-year-old from Moscow, who broke in the sixth and eighth games to make up for her slow start and then overcame an opening service loss at the start of the second set, has now equalled her best ever grand slam showing of runs to the quarters at Wimbledon 2012 and the Australian Open three seasons ago.
Schiavone, the world No. 50, matched the 23-year-old Azarenka shot for shot and scream for scream in a first set which featured six breaks of serve.
Top seed Djokovic carved out a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win over 16th seed Philipp Kohlschreiber with the German paying a high price for converting just two of 13 break points.
German 12th seed Haas, meanwhile, became the third oldest man at 35 to reach the last-eight with a comfortable 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 win over volatile Russian Mikhail Youzhny.
"It's very difficult to play against Philipp as he is a specialist on clay. After the first set, I played well so I am happy," said Djokovic. On facing Haas, against whom he has a 4-3 winning record, the Serb said: "I have a lot of respect for Tommy. He is playing well."
Djokovic, the runner-up to seven-time champion Rafael Nadal last year, needs a French Open title to complete a career grand slam. The last time he failed to reach the last-eight of a major was in Paris in 2009 when he lost in the fourth round to Monday's opponent.
Haas became the first German in 17 years to reach the quarterfinals and the oldest man to make the last eight at any grand slam since Andre Agassi at the 2005 US Open.
Haas, who made history in the third round when he needed a record 13 match points to beat John Isner, eased past Youzhny in just 84 minutes.
"It was a pretty good performance. I was broken in the first game but I got my bearings, got into the groove," said Haas, who is enjoying a renaissance in a career which has been decimated by a series of injuries and personal setbacks.
"He gave me a lot of unforced errors so I just kept doing what I was doing."
Only Pancho Gonzales, who was over 40 when he made the last eight in 1968, and 39-year-old Istvan Gulyas in 1971, have got this far at Haas's age in the tournament.
Oldest since 1971
"The oldest since 1971? I never thought it would be possible to have this success," said Haas.
Haas will be the first German in the last eight in Paris since Michael Stich and Bernd Karbacher in 1996.
In the women's play, third seed Victoria Azarenka reached the quarterfinals for the third time with a 6-3, 6-0 win over 2010 champion Francesca Schiavone.
The double Australian Open champion will now face Russian 12th seed Maria Kirilenko for a semifinal place.
The protagonists know each other well, not least as erstwhile doubles partners - they were runners-up at the 2011 Australian Open while Azarenka saw off Kirilenko in the London Olympics bronze medal match last summer.
In her fourth round match, Kirilenko, despite needing treatment for a sore shoulder, saw off unseeded Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the United States 7-5, 6-4 to reach the last eight for the first time despite losing the opening three games.
The 26-year-old from Moscow, who broke in the sixth and eighth games to make up for her slow start and then overcame an opening service loss at the start of the second set, has now equalled her best ever grand slam showing of runs to the quarters at Wimbledon 2012 and the Australian Open three seasons ago.
Schiavone, the world No. 50, matched the 23-year-old Azarenka shot for shot and scream for scream in a first set which featured six breaks of serve.
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