Djokovic digs deep again to reach Serbia Open semifinals

Novak Djokovic dug deep for the second match in a row to reach the semifinals of the Serbia Open with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over Miomir Kecmanovic on Thursday.

Published : Apr 22, 2022 09:24 IST

Novak Djokovic defeated Miomir Kecmanovic 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Novak Djokovic defeated Miomir Kecmanovic 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
lightbox-info

Novak Djokovic defeated Miomir Kecmanovic 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Top-ranked Novak Djokovic dug deep for the second match in a row to reach the semifinals of the Serbia Open with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over Miomir Kecmanovic on Thursday.

Kecmanovic won the opening set without facing a break point, but Djokovic finally showed signs of getting back to his best in the second and then won the final four games of the decider in what was just his sixth match of the year.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion stretched his winning streak against compatriots to 10 matches going back to a loss to Janko Tipsarevic in Madrid in 2012.

Djokovic next plays third-seeded Karen Khachanov, who defeated Brazilian qualifier Thiago Monteiro 7-5, 6-4.

Djokovic also endured a tough game Wednesday when he rallied from a set down to beat compatriot Laslo Djere 2-6, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (4).

He joked that he's happy he would not have to face another Serb in the semifinals.

READ: Wimbledon ban will 'incite hatred', says Belarus federation

Djokovic opened his clay-court season with a surprising loss to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina at the Monte Carlo Masters last week, his first match since being eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships in February.

Dubai was his first tournament of the year after he was barred from playing at the Australian Open because of his unvaccinated status, which also prevented him from playing tournaments in the United States last month.

Earlier Thursday, second-seeded Andrey Rublev defeated Jiri Lehecka 4-6, 7-6 (1), 6-2 and Fabio Fognini enjoyed a 6-2, 6-3 win over Aljaz Bedene to reach the quarterfinals.

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment