By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday February 27, 2020
Novak Djokovic sailed past Karen Khachanov in Dubai to stretch his winning streak to 19.
Photo Source: Mark Peterson/Corleve
Novak Djokovic remained perfect on the 2020 season with another virtuosic performance at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Champonships, 6-2 6-2 over Russia’s Karen Khachanov.
It was all Djokovic from the start as the World No.1 cracked 19 winners against just 11 unforced errors and won nine of 11 points at the net to complete the rout in 66 minutes.
“I’m definitely feeling well and playing very well,” said Djokovic after the match. “On my side I think I’ve played a very solid match.”
Djokovic was broken for the first time all tournament, but he went on and won 89 percent of his first-serve points and only dropped three points off his first offering overall as he moved into the semifinals and improved to 3-1 lifetime against Khachanov and 16-0 on the season. In total, Djokovic has won each of his last 19 matches, dating back to a 3-0 run at last year’s Davis Cup Finals in Madrid.
Djokovic will face the Gael Monfils vs. Richard Gasquet winner in the semifinals.
Tsitsipas Marches on
Red-hot Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas dropped a set for the first time since Rotterdam, but the Open 13 champion continued his winning ways on Thursday in Dubai by battling back to take out Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff 4-6 6-4 6-4.
Tsitsipas has now won seven straight matches and will take on Dan Evans in the semis in Dubai on Friday.
“My God,” Tsitsipas said after the match. “I had to give it my all out there and I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. … I’m so proud of myself today, I just fought, I suffered on the court.”
Tsitsipas withstood 41 winners from the brawny German and managed to rally from 40-0 down at 4-4 in the third set to secure the critical break.
Struff hit seven forehand winners in the opening set and converted his third set point with a late break to take the stanza.
Tsitsipas drew the line there and saved all three break points he faced in the middle set to take it to a decider.
Evans, who saved three match points against Pierre-Hugues Herbert on Wednesday, defeated Andrey Rublev 6-2 7-6(9) to reach his first 500-level semifinal.
Rublev falls to 16-3 on the season with the loss.