Tennis: Aisam, Rojer bow out of doubles event

Djokovic, Murray march into Dubai singles quarters.

DUBAI: Aisamul Haq Qureshi and his Dutch partner Jean-Julien Rojer crashed to a nerve-wracking pre-quarter-final defeat against Australia’s Paul Hanley and Britain’s Jamie Murray at the doubles event of the Dubai Tennis Championships, losing 4-6, 7-6, 10-6.

After giving a good account of themselves in the opening set, Aisam and Rojer were made to fight hard by Hanley and Jamie in the second before losing narrowly. The deciding tie-breaker turned out to be a nail-biter as well before Hanley and Jamie eventually prevailed.

Djokovic pushed hard

Meanwhile, world number one Novak Djokovic was given a stern second-round test by Sergiy Stakhovsky before winning 7-6, 6-3 to advance into the quarter-finals of the singles event.

Djokovic, who has won the last three championships in Dubai, was a huge favourite to progress to the last-eight but was some way from his best against his Ukrainian opponent. The world number 74 asked plenty of questions of Djokovic, but was edged out on the crucial points and beaten after an 89-minute contest.

Murray happy with progress

Earlier, world number four Andy Murray also qualified for the quarter-finals, overcoming Marco Chiudinelli 6-3, 6-4.

“I played well throughout,” he said. “I played a little bit better than before, so that’s progress. Now I just need to keep that going.”

Andy, who had been training in Florida before coming to Dubai, felt that his preparations had helped him cope with the rising temperatures on court.

“Conditions in Miami are hotter than this. I find the conditions here almost perfect. I’d been practising serve there and I think that went well today.”

Meanwhile, Mikhail Youzhny beat Mardy Fish 6-2, 7-6, while Tomas Berdych crushed Lukas Lacko 6-1, 6-2.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 1^st, 2012.