DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Canada’s Denis Shapovalov advanced to the quarter-finals in Dubai by beating Japan’s Taro Daniel 6-4, 6-3 on Wednesday.
Shapovalov had three breaks in eight occasions, ending the debate in one hour and 23 minutes.
Sixth-seeded, Shapovalov won the point on 21 of his first 24 balls in play. A collection including six aces.
The Ontarian beat Daniel for the second time in as many games.
Shapovalov’s next opponent will be Ricardas Berankis, 99th in the world.
The Lithuanian won once in three games against the Canadian, 14th in the ATP.
Djokovic continues his comeback by dismissing Kachanov
Novak Djokovic continued his victorious comeback by dismissing the Russian Karen Khachanov (26th in the world) in the second round.
The 34-year-old Serb won in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6 (2) in 1:37 in Dubai, where he is back to defend his World No. 1 spot, threatened by Russian Daniil Medvedev .
Djokovic gets rid of Khachanov
To the applause of the public, Djokovic encountered more difficulties in the second set, but he was able to make the difference in the decisive game to easily win the tiebreaker.
“There were break points against me, but there was a phenomenal atmosphere. We like people to come see us play and cheer us on. It touches me that so many people come to see me play,” he said after his victory.
“I like to travel and transmit positive emotions to all the people who come to see me play! “, he chained.
To dislodge the Serb from his place of world number 1, the Russian Daniil Medvedev, recent finalist of the Australian Open, must win the ATP 500 tournament in Acapulco to be certain of seizing the throne at the end of the week, regardless of Djokovic’s result in Dubai.
The Serbian champion on Monday dismissed Italian Lorenzo Musetti 6-3, 6-3 in the first round, for his first match since his expulsion from Australia on January 16 where he could not defend his title from the Grand Tournament. Slam.
His participation in Melbourne had been canceled after a long standoff with the Australian authorities because he was not vaccinated against the coronavirus.
In Dubai, the world No. 1 can participate in the tournament because no vaccine against the coronavirus is compulsory to enter the territory of the Emirates.
“It’s always a pleasure for me to play in Dubai in one of the biggest tournaments of the year. I had great memories with these five victories in the past and it gives me a lot of motivation to come back and play here in this tournament,” he said.
The Serb will face in the quarter-finals Thursday the Czech Jiri Vesely (123rd), from the qualifications and who dismissed in two sets 6-2, 6-4 one of the men in form of the moment, the Spaniard Roberto Bautista (15th).
Rublev loses a set but joins the quarters
The Russian Andrey Rublev, 7th player in the world, needed three sets to overcome the South Korean Kwon Soon-woo (60th) in the second round and has a sixth consecutive victory.
The Russian, recent winner of the Marseille tournament, was surprised in the first set by Kwon’s service success, 24, but recovered in the next two sets to win 4-6, 6-0, 6-3 in 1:42.
Seeded No. 2, Rublev, 24, will face in the quarterfinals the American Mackenzie McDonald (61st), who dominated the Serbian Filip Krajinovic (44) 6-4, 7-6 (7).
The Russian won the ATP 250 tournament in Marseille on Sunday, the ninth title of his career, beating the Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime, 9th in the world, in the final.
Sinner overpowers Murray to advance to quarters
The Italian Jannik Sinner (10th in the world) was solid on Wednesday to beat the Briton Andy Murray (89th) in two sets (7-5, 6-2), in the round of 16.
The No. 4 seed in the Emirati tournament was patient in the first set, before winning a shutout on the opposing serve and finishing moments later against the former world number one.
The second set fell short for Murray, the recipient of an invitation, who lost in 1:44.
Sinner, 20, will meet Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz (11th) in the quarter-finals, after the No. 5 seed defeated Slovakia’s Alex Molcan (69th) in straight sets 6-3, 6-2.
