Novak Djokovic reaches the quarter finals in Dubai for the 12th time in his career - UBITENNIS
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Novak Djokovic reaches the quarter finals in Dubai for the 12th time in his career

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Novak Djokovic beat Karen Khachanov 6-3 7-6 (7-2) in 1 hour and 38 minutes to reach the quarter final at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships ATP 500 tournament for the 12th time. 

Djokovic won 83% of his first serve points to improve his record to 5-1 in his six head-to-head matches against Khachanov. The 20-time Grand Slam champion saved three of the four break points he faced to score his fourth consecutive win against Khachanov. 

Djokovic did not face a break point in the first set. The five-time Dubai champion held serve at 30 in the third game before converting his second break point to open up a 3-1 lead. He held serve in the fifth game with a forehand winner. Khachanov stayed within within one break point with a hold of 30 in the sixth game, but Djokovic opened up a 5-2 lead with his serve. Khachanov hit a forehand winner to hold serve in the eighth game before Djokovic forced Khachanov’s error to seal the first set in 32 minutes. 

Djokovic went up break in the third game to take a 2-1 lead and saved three break points to hold serve in the fourth game. Khachanov held serve to love and broke back in the eighth game to draw level to 4-4.  The Russian player fended off two break points in the ninth game and held serve after three deuces to win his third consecutive game and took a 5-4 lead. 

Khachanov held at love in the 11th game to take a 6-5 lead. Djokovic served to stay in the set at 5-6 and held serve at love with an ace to set up a tie-break. Djokovic earned four match points at 6-2 with three mini-breaks and converted his first chance to seal the tie-break 7-2. 

“I was feeling excited and motivated, but also at the same time I was feeling stressed. Particularly at the moments when I was facing break  points, I thought the atmosphere in the stadium was terrific. I missed playing completely. This is life. This is what I have known for the past 20 years. Tennis is my love. I enjoy bringing positive energy and memories for people who watch”, said Djokovic. 

Djokovic set up a quarter final against JJiri Vesely, who upset Roberto Bautista Agut 6-2 6-4.

Andrey Rublev rallied from one set down to beat Soonwoo Kwon 4-6 6-0 6-2 to reach the third round at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Chammpionships. 

Kwon earned his only break in the first game to win the opening set 6-4. Rublev broke three times at deuce to take a bagel win in the second set. 

Rublev converted his third break point in the fourth game to seal the third set 6-2. The Russian player hit 15 aces and won 93% of his first serve points. 

Rublev set up a quarter final against Mackenzie McDonald, who beat Filip Krajinovic 6-4 7-6 (9-7). 

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Jannik Sinner reaches his fourth semifinal of the year in Miami

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This year’s Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner converted four of his eleven break points in his 6-4 6-2 win over Tomas Machac in 91 minutes to reach his fourth semifinal of the season at the Miami Open. 

Sinner has claimed a tour-leading 20th match win this season to reach the Miami Open semifinal for the third time. The world number 3 finished runner-up to Hubert Hurkacz in 2021 and Danil Medvedev in 2023 in his finals in Miami. 

Sinner started the match with an immediate break in the first game to take a 1-0 lead. Machac, who beat Andrey Rublev and Andy Murray on his way to the quarter final in Miami, broke straight back to draw level to 1-1. Sinner earned his second break in an eight-minute seventh game to take a 4-3 lead. The Italian star held on his next two service games to close out on his first set point. 

Sinner earned two break points on each of Machac’s first three service games. He broke twice in the third and fifth games to open up a 5-1 lead and served out the win on his second match point. Sinner dropped just three points on serve in the second set. 

Sinner will face the winner of the quarter final match between Danil Medvedev and Nicolas Jarry. 

“I did not exactly know what to expect today. The first games I was looking a little bit what kind of tactics could work or not. Today I played especially in the important moments of the match. I am really happy to play again in the semifinals here. Machac has an incredible talent to play this sport. He is super fast also physically . He is in great shape. I feel good. I am just happy to compete. We practise very hard to be in these positions and I am really happy I can play once again in the semifinals at this special tournament. I made my first Masters 1000 final here. I am really happy to be back in the semifinals ”, said Sinner. 

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Danielle Collins beats Caroline Garcia to reach the second semifinal of her career in Miami

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Danielle Collins beat Caroline Garcia 6-3 6-2 in 80 minutes to reach her second semifinal at the Miami Open. Collins became the first qualifier to reach the semifinal in the history of this tournament. 

Collins achieved her third win against a seeded player in five matches over the past seven days. 

Collins dropped just 11 points in nine service games against Garcia and hit 22 winners to Garcia’s 12. 

Collins earned a break in the eighth game and held serve to seal the first set 6-3. The US player broke serve in the third game of the second set and never looked back to close out the match in 1 hout and 19 minutes. 

Collins has extended her record to 4-0 in her head-to-head matches against Garcia and has not lost a set to her French opponent. 

Collins set up a semifinal match against the winner of Wednesday night’s match between Jessica Pegula and Elena Alexandrova, who beat world number one player Iga Swiatek in the fourth round.  

Collins won two WTA titles in Palermo and San José in 2021 but she has not reached a WTA Tour level final since losing to Ashleigh Barty in Melbourne in 2022. 

“I think Caroline Garcia comes out here and fights her butt off. She hits some really strong shots. I don’t think the set scores are a reflection of how close the match really is”, said Collins. 

Garcia beat Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff to reach the quarter finals in Miami for the first time in her career. The French player was troubled by an injury to her right shoulder and received treatment early in the second set. 

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Alexander Zverev beats Karen Khachanov to reach the quarter final for the fourth time in his career in Miami

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Alexander Zverev beat Karen Khachanov 6-1 6-4 without facing any break points in a re-match of the Olympic final in Tokyo 2021 to reach back-to-back quarter finals after advancing to the last eight at Indian Wells. Zverev is aiming to win his first Masters 1000 title since Cincinnati in 2021. 

Zverev dropped just nine points on serve in the whole match and fired nine aces. The German player converted three of his four break points. 

Zverev broke twice in the fourth and sixth games to win the first set 6-1. The German player earned another break in the third game. He held on his next service games and sealed the win on his first match point. Zverev leads 4-2 in his six head-to-head matches against Khachanov. The German player reached the quarter final for the fourth time in his career in Miami and the last eight in a Masters 1000 tournament for the 27th time in his career. 

Zverev set up a quarter final match against Hundary’s Fabian Maroszan, who upset Alex De Minaur 6-4 1-6 6-1. The first set went on serve until the 10th game when Maroszan earned a break to win the first set 6-4. De Minaur broke three times to take a bagel win in the second set forcing the match to the decider. Maroszan broke twice in the fourth and sixth games and served out the win on his third match point. 

Maroszan reached his second Masters 1000 quarter final after advancing to the last eight in Shanghai in 2023. Maroszan has a record of four wins to just 1 defeat against top 10 players and 14 wins to just 3 defeats at Masters 1000 tournaments. De Minaur was looking to become the first player to reach 20 wins this season. 

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