Tennis-Djokovic Edges Rune, Tsitsipas Marches Into Paris Semi-finals

PARIS:World primary Novak Djokovic stayed heading in the right direction for a seventh Paris Masters title with a gripping 7-5 6-7(3) 6-4 defeat of Holger Rune within the quarter-finals on Friday which left the Dane sweating on a spot within the ATP Tour Finals.

Djokovic was rock stable as he avenged his defeat by the tenacious teenager in final yr’s showpiece to arrange a semi-final in opposition to both Andrey Rublev or Alex de Minaur.

Victory for 20-year-old Rune would have sealed his place in Turin though he’s nonetheless well-placed to make his debut within the year-ender that includes the world’s prime eight gamers.

Djokovic’s victory means Germany’s Alexander Zverev qualifies for the ATP Tour Finals.

Rune delighted the Paris crowd with some gorgeous tennis and saved a match level at 4-5 within the second set earlier than an impressed tiebreak took the match to a decider.

But Djokovic was unfazed and broke serve early within the third set, whereas Rune was not helped by a reduce to his hand that required some prolonged patching up at a changeover.

The sixth seed might make no impression on the Djokovic serve within the decider because the top-ranked Serb clocked up a sixteenth successive win since shedding within the Wimbledon last.

Earlier in Bercy, Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas maintained his gorgeous kind with a 6-3 6-4 defeat of Russia’s Karen Khachanov to arrange a semi-final in opposition to Grigor Dimitrov.

Tsitsipas, who a day earlier secured his place in Turin, was at his shot-making greatest to dominate the competition.

The seventh seed has but to drop a set in disposing of Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, Zverev and now Khachanov.

He had far an excessive amount of selection for Khachanov within the opening set, utilizing his all-court recreation and correct serving to nice impact. He then moved a break forward within the second set earlier than Khachanov hit a short purple patch to get again on phrases.

But Tsitsipas rapidly regained management to brush to the three hundredth skilled win of his profession, mentioning match level with a pleasant drop shot that had the gang in raptures.

“It’s working well. It feels good to have so much variety and so much diversity in the way you can play,” he mentioned.

Dimitrov beat Hubert Hurkacz 6-1 4-6 6-4 to finish the Pole’s hopes of qualifying for the ATP Finals.

The day will conclude with Australia’s thirteenth seed De Minaur in opposition to Russian fifth seed Rublev. De Minaur must win the title to pip Rune for a spot in Turin.

(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is printed from a syndicated information company feed – Reuters)