Novak Djokovic has been winning with relative ease over the past week and a half in China and yet he still doesn’t think his game is perfect.
Djokovic defeated 15th-seeded Feliciano lopez 6-2, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals of the Shanghai Masters on Thursday, extending his winning streak to 14 straight matches dating back to his title run at the US Open.
He’s also captured 16 straight sets, and hasn’t surrendered more than five games in a single match since the start of the China Open last week. Sixth-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan, meanwhile, was upset by South Africa’s Kevin Anderson 7-6 (10), 7-6 (3).
Nadal also had a lengthy losing streak against elite players, but he managed to turn his around against the ninth-seeded Raonic. He had lost his last five matches — and 11 straight sets — to top-10 opponents going back to May.
On a day when 14 of the world’s top 17 players were playing, Andy Murray saved all seven break points he faced and held on to beat big-serving John Isner 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-4 and Rafael Nadal defeated Canada’s Milos Raonic 6-3, 7-6 (3).
Djokovic, however, played a superb defensive game and continually scrambled after lopez’s shots for winners. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France also advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-4 win over Spanish qualifier Albert Ramos-Vinolas, who ousted Roger Federer in the second round.
Bouchard sues USTA for US Open fall
New York: Eugenie Bouchard filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against the United States Tennis Association that alleges the sport’s national governing body was negligent, leaving her to slip and fall in locker room during US Open.
The 21-year-old Bouchard had just played in a mixed doubles match after earlier defeating Dominika Cibulkova when she returned to the locker room at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens shortly after 10 p.m. Minutes later, she slipped and fell on the tile floor of a physiotherapy room.
Yuki set to enter top-100
Tashkent: Yuki Bhambri is set to break into top-100 after clinching a semifinal berth at the ATP Tashkent Challenger by winning both his matches here. Since rain had washed out all singles matches on Wednesday, Yuki first played his second round against Croatia’s Nikola Mektic, winning the contest 6-3 1-6 6-1 and then took field to beat Czech Republic’s Jan Satral 6-3, 6-4 in the quarterfinals.