By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, November 3, 2016
Novak Djokovic shrugged off a second-set tumble and Grigor Dimitrov, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, to set up a Paris quarterfinal vs. Marin Cilic.
Photo credit: Corinne Dubreuil/FFT
Master multi-tasker Novak Djokovic is managing diverse demands in his return to Paris.
The three-time defending BNP Paribas Masters champion is trying to fend off second-ranked Andy Murray to retain his year-end No. 1 ranking, extend his winning streak by winning his fifth title in Bercy and quell speculation over his possible coaching changes in the absence of coaches Boris Becker and Marián Vajda.
Watch: Cilic Books London Spot
Down a set today, Djokovic crashed to the court and seemed to strain his right knee in the process.
That jarring fall sparked a booming rise.
Climbing off the court and shaking off knee strain, Djokovic danced all over Grigor Dimitrov reeling off five straight games rallying for a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory.
It was Djokovic's 17th straight win in Bercy, sending him into a quarterfinal against Marin Cilic. Djokovic holds a commanding 14-0 record vs. Cilic, including dethroning the 2014 US Open champion with a 6-0, 6-1, 6-2 thrashing in the 2015 US Open semifinals.
Cilic crashed 11 aces defeating eighth-seeded David Goffin, 6-3, 7-6 (9). It was Cilic's first win over Goffin in four meetings and secured his spot in the season-ending ATP World Four Finals in London.
Sluggish at the start, Djokovic played stretches of reactive tennis while a dynamic Dimitrov successfully used the drop shot at times to draw Djokovic forward then fire his forehand past the top seed.
Three service breaks and a stray strand of golden confetti fluttering onto court marked the first set.
When Dimitrov steps into the court, applies his all-court skills and is willing to drive his one-handed backhand with topspin at the right times he's most dangerous. The Bulgarian flicked a backhand winner down the line to seal a one-set lead.
After looking disengaged at times in the opening set, Djokovic began finding his groove and working the world No. 18 all over the court.
Hitting the high notes isn't an issue for Dimitrov, but sustaining a high level of play can be a challenge. Leading 40-15, he squandered the advantage and a service break scattering a running forehand as Djokovic broke for 2-0.
The top seed effectively attacked the Dimitrov backhand and opened the court with crosscourt drives. Djokovic denied two break points, including painting the sideline with a superb backhand drive, eventually holding for 3-0.
In the fourth Djokovic appeared to suffer a hyper-extended right knee after tumbling awkwardly behind the baseline. He got up quickly, but immediately rubbed his leg and knee before taking an injury time-out.
That disconcerting fall led to a defiant rise. Djokovic climbed off the court to win six of the next seven games.
An increasingly erratic Dimitrov unraveled in the eighth game.
Trying to change direction down the line prematurely, Dimitrov's backhand rattled the red Fly Emirates sign affixed to net and forced him into a break-point bind. The 25-year-old Bulgarian spit up his sixth double fault ending the second set with a sputter. Dimitrov committed nearly four times as many errors (19 to 5) as Djokovic in the 43-minute second set.
Striking with conviction, Djokovic elevated his level in the third set as Dimitrov flagged.
A sloppy opening game saw Dimitrov slap a forehand swing volley into net for double break point. He saved the first with a forehand volley and hit a heavy serve that an elastic Djokovic stabbed back. Varying the angle on his forehand, Djokovic drew the error breaking with a firm "come on!" for 2-0.
On the strength of a two-ace game, Djokovic backed up the break with his fifth straight game.
Dimitrov finally stopped the free-fall, holding for 1-3.
The top seed's only mis-step came on his first match point when Djokovic splattered a forehand down the line into the tape.
Shaking that off with a strong cross-court combination, Djokovic hurled his arms in the air urging the crowd to make noise then converted his second match point.
Djokovic raised his record to 61-7—the 10th consecutive year he's won 60 or more matches in a season—and will now focus on sustaining his ranking-points lead over Murray.