Djokovic’s dream run continues
World number two Novak Djokovic took his overall winning run to 43 matches including 41 this year as he brushed aside France’s Richard Gasquet 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 to reach the French Open quarter-final.
Second-seed Djokovic is now just three wins short of matching Guillermo Vilas’s record of 46 consecutive wins and one shy of John McEnroe’s mark of 42 wins for an unbeaten start to a season set in 1984.
Red-hot Djokovic, who next faces unseeded Italian Fabio Fognini for a place in the semi-finals, breezed to his fifth career win in six meetings against the 13th-seeded Gasquet.
“I’m happy with my game,” said Djokovic. “I played a great match against a great player, but I got important breaks and made no mistakes after that.”
Djokovic broke Gasquet in the first game of the match before a big forehand gave him the opener. He then led 4-3 in the second and enjoyed a love service game to secure the set. A dispirited Gasquet surrendered his service in the third and fifth games to soon trail 1-4 in the third. Djokovic then wrapped up the one-sided affair when the Gasquet dumped a backhand into the net.
Federer into last-eight
Roger Federer reached a record 28th successive Grand Slam quarter-final when he defeated Swiss compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 in the last-16.
Federer reached the quarter-finals without dropping a set as he continued to thrive at a Roland Garros tournament where Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are expected to reach the final.
“I am super-happy because I knew what the danger was,” said Federer. “He showed all his qualities in the third set but was a bit unlucky.”
Zvonareva crashes out
Russian teen Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova sent third-seed Vera Zvonareva crashing out of the French Open to further throw the tournament wide open.
With the two top-seeds, Caroline Wozniacki and Kim Clijsters already out, Zvonareva’s departure after a 7-6 (7/4), 2-6, 6-2 loss means that fourth-seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus is the top-ranking player left in the draw.
For Pavlyuchenkova, the win represents a major breakthrough as it will be a first appearance in a Grand Slam quarter-final.
Meanwhile, defending champion Francesca Schiavone produced another masterclass in claycourt tennis to reach the quarter-finals with a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 win over Serbia’s Jelena Jankovic.
Aisam loses in mixed doubles
Pakistan’s Aisamul Haq Qureshi and Czech partner Kveta Peschke suffered a 6-4, 6-4 defeat at the hands of Thomaz Bellucci and Jarmila Gajdosova to end their mixed doubles hopes at the French Open. Meanwhile, India’s Sania Mirza and Russian Elena Vesnina outclassed the Spanish duo of Medina Garrigues and Martinez Sanchez 6-1, 6-4 to advance to the fourth round in the doubles category.
Roger Federer
“I’m super-happy because
I knew what the danger
was. He showed all his
qualities in the third set
but he was a bit unlucky but all the better for me.”
Novak Djokovic
“I’m happy with my game. I played a great match against a great player,
but I got important breaks and made no mistakes
after that.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 30th, 2011.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ