Novak Djokovic has stayed on the right track for his third title of 2023 by powering into the semi-finals of the Dubai Tennis Championships with a 6-3 7-5 win over Hubert Hurkacz.
The 35-year-old Serbian, unbeaten in 2023, received in Adelaide earlier than sealing his twenty second grand slam on the Australian Open whereas managing a hamstring harm and has hit high kind after a sluggish begin in Dubai on his return to the tour.
He’s now received 15 straight matches this 12 months, in addition to 5 on the finish of final 12 months en path to his ATP Finals triumph, taking his unbeaten run to twenty.
Having breezed by way of the primary set on the again of a single break on Thursday, Djokovic discovered the going a bit harder within the subsequent because the big-serving Hurkacz raised his sport searching for a primary win over the world No.1 of their fifth assembly.
After a vital maintain from 0-30 down to attract stage at 5-5, Djokovic grabbed one other break to heap the stress on Hurkacz and the five-times champion closed out the match on serve.
“It was a challenging match as it always is against Hubert,” Djokovic stated. “I think he’s got one of the best serves in the game. In the second set, until the 11th game I didn’t have too many chances against his serve.
“Fortunately for me, I additionally discovered the rhythm on my serve… one or two factors can resolve the winner in matches like these.
“I’m really glad with the way I played under pressure.”
Up subsequent for Djokovic is a gathering with Daniil Medvedev or Borna Coric, who had been assembly in a while Thursday.
Alexander Zverev earlier reached his first semi-final since final 12 months’s French Open with a 7-5 6-4 win over Lorenzo Sonego.
The seventh seed has had a torrid time after injuring his ankle at Roland Garros and present process surgical procedure, solely returning to the ATP tour in December after struggling a bone edema downside throughout his rehabilitation.
“It’s been a very difficult time for me over the last nine months,” world No.16 Zverev stated. “I haven’t played tennis at all for such a long period for the first time in my life.
“It positively reveals that the arduous work is paying off and I’m extraordinarily proud of my progress and the way I’m taking part in proper now. I’m blissful to be in my first semi-final because the harm.
“Hopefully, it won’t be my last and hopefully there’s much more to come here.”
Zverev subsequent performs defending champion Andrey Rublev after the flamable Russian overcame a late wobble to get previous Botic van de Zandschulp 6-3 7-6 (7-3).
Zverev has received every of their 5 conferences, together with their final one within the 2021 Cincinnati last.
“It’s going to be tough,” Rublev stated. “I have to play good, aggressive tennis.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
