Czech qualifier Jiri Vesely upset top-seeded Novak Djokovic 6-4, 7-6 (4) Thursday in the quarterfinals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, ensuring the Serb’s time as the ATP Tour’s No. 1-ranked player will end after this week.
Vesely went ahead 5-3 in the second set before Djokovic charged back to force the tiebreaker. Vesely won the first three points, but Djokovic narrowed the deficit to 5-4 before Vesely put the match away.
Vesely will face Canadian No. 6 seed Denis Shapovalov in the semifinals after Shapovalov got by Lithuanian qualifier Ricardas Berankis 7-6 (4), 6-3.
Second seed Andrey Rublev of Russia was a 2-6, 6-3, 6-1 winner over American foe Mackenzie McDonald, and No. 5 seed Hubert Hurkacz of Poland dispatched fourth-seeded Italian Jannik Sinner 6-3, 6-3. Rublev and Hurkacz will meet in the other semifinal.
Chile Dove Men+Care Open
Spanish No. 4 seed Pedro Martinez outlasted countryman Jaume Munar 6-4, 5-7, 7-5 in three and a half hours to advance through the second round in Santiago, Chile.
Martinez coped with Munar’s five aces and saved eight of 11 break points to stay afloat, going on to win just three more total points than Munar (110 to 107).
In the quarterfinals, Martinez will play Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann, who was a 6-1, 6-3 winner over Brazil’s Thiago Seyboth Wild.
The second round will conclude Thursday evening when No. 1 seed Cristian Garin plays fellow Chilean Alejandro Tabilo and No. 6 seed Miomir Kecmanovic of Serbia faces Brazilian qualifier Matheus Pucinelli De Almeida.
–Field Level Media
