By Chris Oddo | Thursday August 20, 2015
Novak Djokovic battled back from near disaster to race past David Goffin and into the Cincy quarterfinals.
Photo Source: Maddie Meyer/Getty
Back from the brink. Nothing new, but still such a satisfying way to win.
Novak Djokovic turned a near disaster into yet another reason to believe on Thursday afternoon, as he rallied from a double-break and 3-0 down to smash past David Goffin, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3.
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The match marked the first time that the Belgian has taken a set from Djokovic in three meetings, but he couldn’t hang on to his lead against the surging Djokovic.
“It was a solid first set, but whatever happened in the next 45 minutes I don't want to remember it,” Djokovic told reporters after the match.
Djokovic, who is seeking his first Cincinnati title in his eleventh appearance at the event, will next face Stan Wawrinka in Friday’s quarterfinals. Wawrinka slipped past Ivo Karlovic, 6-7(2), 7-6(5), 7-6(5), finishing off the 36-year-old Croatian when he double-faulted on match point.
“It's a big win for Stan,” Djokovic said. “He was also in a tough situation against Coric yesterday, but he's showing why he's a top 10 player, Grand Slam champion. He's got this experience of finding a way to win. It's going to be the first time we meet after French Open final, and, both of us, we are still not playing our best, but, you know, hopefully we can rise to the occasion and have a good match.”
Djokovic has won 14 of 18 vs. the Swiss but Wawrinka has taken two of the last four matches including their last meeting in this year’s French Open final.
After building an early lead on Thursday, Djokovic tossed in a klunker of a second set that featured four double-faults and two breaks of serve by Goffin. The Serb has struggled with an elbow injury of late but he said that he is free of pain her in Cincinnati. He did add, however, that the injury has derailed his serve practice for some time.
“Because it was bothering me for some time I messed up my serve, routine and serve techniques,” Djokovic said. “I'm struggling with my service, especially the second serve a little bit. But I am trying to work on it and find it, but considering the pain, it's not present anymore.”
Djokovic has not missed this event since his first appearance in 2005, but Cincinnati remains as the only of the current Masters 1000 titles that he has not won, despite reaching four finals.
He’ll have to get by his new nemesis Wawrinka to keep hopes alive, but it’s not revenge that Djokovic is seeking. “I don't like revenge,” he said. “It doesn't come from positive emotion. I'm not looking for revenge. I'm looking to go win tomorrow's match.”
In other early afternoon men’s action on Thursday, Tomas Berdych whizzed by Tommy Robredo 6-0, 6-1, while Alexandr Dolgopolov squeaked by Jerzy Janowicz, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.