Novak Djokovic
(February 24, 2016) DUBAI, UAE – No. 1 Novak Djokovic joined the 700-win club on Wednesday by defeating Malek Jaziri 6-1, 6-2 in 65 minutes to reach the quarterfinals the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
The 28-year-old four-time Dubai champion is only the 12th player in the Open Era to reach the 700-win milestone. He is one of only three active players with this record, joining Roger Federer with 1,067 victories, and Rafael Nadal with 775.
“The first set and a half I enjoyed it, and then I started missing a lot of forehands, easy forehands from midcourt,” said Djokovic. “It frustrated me, honestly, a little bit.
“But I managed to win the match. I will take the positives out of tonight’s match and hopefully I will be able to raise my game even more.”
Djokovic will take on sixth seed Feliciano Lopez in the round of 8 and hopes to extend his perfect record against the Spaniard.
“We have had many quarterfinals playing each other, quite a few quarterfinals,” said the 10-time major champion. “The only time I played him in this tournament was actually a quarterfinal three, four years ago.
“I know he likes playing here and likes the conditions. He slices, and the ball travels through the air quickly and you’ve got to be very reactive, very quick with the baseline shots, especially when you play somebody like Feliciano who comes in very often.
“I’m sure he’s going to try to use every opportunity given to chip and charge, come to the net, serve and volley, going to try to not let me give the same look on the ball. I know that. I know what to expect.
“I’m going to try to prepare for this match well, and, as I said, you know, raise the game a little bit more than tonight.”
Stan Wawrinka
Second seed Stan Wawrinka advance to the quarterfinals with a 7-5, 6-1 win over Croatian qualifier Franko Skugor.
Wawrinka was two points away from departing the tournament on Tuesday against Sergiy Stakhovsky, so he was a little happier about his play on Wednesday.
“(Played) a little bit better, I think,” Wawrinka said. “I was feeling a little bit better the balls. I adapt a few things with my racquet, also with the tension.
“I think it wasn’t amazing but it’s a good win. Happy to get through to playing in the quarter tomorrow, winning in two sets tonight. There’s a lot to improve, but in general I’m happy to win.”
Warwrinka will next face eighth seed Philipp Kohlschreiber.
Two-time Dubai finalist, third seed Tomas Berdych dismissed Italian qualifier Thomas Fabbiano 6-2, 6-2. Berdych will play Nick Kyrgios. Kyrgios defeated the Czech en route to winning the Marseille tournament last week, his first ATP title.
“He’s part of really like fireworks on the court,” Berdych said of Kyrgios. “I mean in a good way. He’s playing really aggressive. He’s going for a lot of shots that they are not really, you know, with, I would say, on the safe side, you know.
“So he’s risking a lot. If couple of those shots are going in and he makes those extra points, then it can really make a difference.
“But overall he’s been serving incredibly well, and I think he’s been much more solid on the return side, as well.
“Of course, I mean, the conditions of playing indoors, the court, which is quite small, you know, feels like with all the side boards and everything, so, you know, that’s how it is.
“So here it’s again all kinds of different, you know, fast court, fast balls, playing outside. The court is very big. So let’s see.”
What a wonderful journey! I’m enjoying every moment and every milestone #Nole700 #LoveMyJob pic.twitter.com/oK9QcHFJCH
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) February 24, 2016
Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships
ATP World Tour 500
Dubai, U.A.E. (+4 hours GMT)
22-27 February 2016 Surface: Hard
RESULTS – WEDNESDAY, 24 FEBRUARY 2016
Singles – Second Round
[1] N. Djokovic (SRB) d [WC] M. Jaziri (TUN) 61 62
[2] S. Wawrinka (SUI) d [Q] F. Skugor (CRO) 75 61
[3] T. Berdych (CZE) d [Q] T. Fabbiano (ITA) 62 62
[4] R. Bautista Agut (ESP) d H. Chung (KOR) 60 61
[6] F. Lopez (ESP) d L. Rosol (CZE) 63 76(7)
[8] P. Kohlschreiber (GER) d B. Coric (CRO) 62 76(5)
M. Baghdatis (CYP) d V. Pospisil (CAN) 64 62
N. Kyrgios (AUS) d M. Kukushkin (KAZ) 63 62
Doubles – Quarter-finals
F. Lopez (ESP) / M. Lopez (ESP) d [1] J. Rojer (NED) / H. Tecau (ROU) 64 64
[Q] H. Chung (KOR) / J. Vesely (CZE) d R. Bautista Agut (ESP) / J. Sousa (POR) 67(2) 76(6) 11-9
Doubles – First Round
D. Nestor (CAN) / R. Stepanek (CZE) d [2] R. Bopanna (IND) / F. Mergea (ROU) 36 76(6) 10-4
J. Murray (GBR) / T. Robredo (ESP) d [4] H. Kontinen (FIN) / J. Peers (AUS) 26 64 10-8
L. Kubot (POL) / M. Matkowski (POL) d I. Dodig (CRO) / M. Draganja (CRO) 46 64 10-7
SCHEDULE – THURSDAY, 25 FEBRUARY 2016
CENTRE COURT start 3:00 pm
N. Kyrgios (AUS) vs [3] T. Berdych (CZE)
[4] R. Bautista Agut (ESP) vs M. Baghdatis (CYP)
Not Before 7:00 pm
[8] P. Kohlschreiber (GER) vs [2] S. Wawrinka (SUI)
[1] N. Djokovic (SRB) vs [6] F. Lopez (ESP)
COURT 1 start 4:00 pm
S. Bolelli (ITA) / A. Seppi (ITA) vs J. Murray (GBR) / T. Robredo (ESP)
L. Kubot (POL) / M. Matkowski (POL) vs D. Nestor (CAN) / R. Stepanek (CZE)
Acapulco
RESULTS – WEDNESDAY, 24 FEBRUARY 2016
Singles – First Round
A. Dolgopolov (UKR) d [1] D. Ferrer (ESP) 64 64
S. Querrey (USA) d [2] K. Nishikori (JPN) 64 63
[4] D. Thiem (AUT) d D. Tursunov (RUS) 67(5) 63 64
[5] B. Tomic (AUS) d A. Mannarino (FRA) 64 64
[7] G. Dimitrov (BUL) d D. Young (USA) 63 64
R. Haase (NED) d A. Bedene (GBR) 64 67(3) 64
I. Marchenko (UKR) d [Q] R. Harrison (USA) 76(3) 46 76(5)
[Q] T. Fritz (USA) d V. Estrella Burgos (DOM) 61 63
Doubles – First Round
[1] J. Cabal (COL) / R. Farah (COL) d T. de Bakker (NED) / R. Haase (NED) 64 76(5)
E. Butorac (USA) / S. Lipsky (USA) d [2] R. Klaasen (RSA) / R. Ram (USA) 76(8) 60
[WC] J. Erlich (ISR) / C. Fleming (GBR) d M. Pavic (CRO) / M. Venus (NZL) 46 76(5) 11-9
O. Marach (AUT) / F. Martin (FRA) d J. Chardy (FRA) / L. Paes (IND) 62 64
SCHEDULE – THURSDAY, 25 FEBRUARY 2016
CANCHA CENTRAL start 4:00 pm
ATP – I. Marchenko (UKR) vs [5] B. Tomic (AUS)
ATP – A. Dolgopolov (UKR) vs R. Haase (NED)
Not Before 8:00 pm
ATP – [7] G. Dimitrov (BUL) vs [4] D. Thiem (AUT)
Not Before 10:00 pm
ATP – [Q] T. Fritz (USA) vs S. Querrey (USA)
GRANDSTAND start 4:00 pm
WTA – D. Cibulkova (SVK) vs [6] J. Larsson (SWE)
WTA – [8] Y. Wickmayer (BEL) or M. Puig (PUR) vs [3] A. Pavlyuchenkova (RUS)
WTA – [WC] N. Osaka (JPN) vs [2] S. Stephens (USA)
ATP – [4] T. Huey (PHI) / M. Mirnyi (BLR) vs M. Fyrstenberg (POL) / S. Gonzalez (MEX)
CANCHA 4 start 5:00 pm
WTA – M. Lucic-Baroni (CRO) vs C. Mchale (USA)
WTA – [3] L. Arruabarrena (ESP) / P. Goncalves (BRA) vs M. Irigoyen (ARG) / P. Kania (POL)
WTA-After Suitable Rest – [WC] A. Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) / Y. Wickmayer (BEL) vs [2] K. Bertens (NED) / J. Larsson (SWE)
CANCHA 3 start 5:00 pm
ATP – [WC] J. Erlich (ISR) / C. Fleming (GBR) vs [3] P. Petzschner (GER) / A. Peya (AUT)
ATP – O. Marach (AUT) / F. Martin (FRA) vs E. Butorac (USA) / S. Lipsky (USA)
ATP – [1] J. Cabal (COL) / R. Farah (COL) vs A. Bedene (GBR) / G. Muller (LUX)
CANCHA 2 start 6:00 pm
WTA – [1] A. Medina Garrigues (ESP) / A. Parra Santonja (ESP) vs T. Maria (GER) / M. Sanchez (USA)
WTA-After Suitable Rest – X. Han (CHN) / C. Mchale (USA) vs [PR] A. Rodionova (AUS) / G. Voskoboeva (KAZ)
Brasil Open
RESULTS – WEDNESDAY, 24 FEBRUARY 2016
No matches completed due to rain.
SCHEDULE – THURSDAY, 25 FEBRUARY 2016
CENTRE COURT start 12:00 noon
[1] M. Melo (BRA) / B. Soares (BRA) vs [WC] N. Almagro (ESP) / E. Russi Assumpcao (BRA)
[Q] B. Rola (SLO) vs I. Cervantes (ESP) 67(4) 12
[LL] R. Carballes Baena (ESP) vs [2] T. Bellucci (BRA)
[1] [WC] B. Paire (FRA) vs D. Lajovic (SRB)
Not Before 6:30 pm
D. Munoz de la Nava (ESP) vs [WC] T. Monteiro (BRA)
[WC] R. Dutra Silva (BRA) / J. Souza (BRA) vs J. Peralta (CHI) / H. Zeballos (ARG)
COURT 1 start 11:00 am
P. Carreno Busta (ESP) vs D. Gimeno-Traver (ESP) 62 36 10
D. Schwartzman (ARG) vs [4] F. Delbonis (ARG)
S. Giraldo (COL) vs [Q] G. Elias (POR)
[3] P. Cuevas (URU) vs [Q] F. Bagnis (ARG)
COURT 2 start 11:00 am
M. Cecchinato (ITA) / P. Lorenzi (ITA) vs [3] M. Gonzalez (ARG) / A. Sa (BRA)
A. Martin (SVK) / H. Podlipnik-Castillo (CHI) vs [Alt] P. Bernardi (BRA) / G. Clezar (BRA)
P. Carreno Busta (ESP) / D. Marrero (ESP) vs T. Daniel (JPN) / D. Gimeno-Traver (ESP)
Tournament Information