Top-seeded Novak Djokovic stroked six aces on Wednesday while knocking off Russian Karen Khachanov 6-3, 7-6 (2) to reach the quarterfinals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in the United Arab Emirates.
The Serbian is a five-time winner of the event and he will look to continue pursuit of another crown when he next faces Jiri Vesely. The Czech Republic qualifier advanced with a stunning 6-2, 6-4 victory over No. 8 seed Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain.
Second-seeded Russian Andrey Rublev moved on with a 4-6, 6-0, 6-3 win over South Korea’s Soonwoo Kwon. Rublev will next face American Mackenzie McDonald, who beat Serbia’s Filip Krajinovic 6-4, 7-6 (7).
In other matches, fourth-seeded Italian Jannik Sinner posted a 7-5, 6-2 win over Brit wild card Andy Murray; No. 5 Hubert Hurkacz of Poland beat Slovakian lucky loser Alex Molcan 6-3, 6-2; sixth-seeded Canadian Denis Shapovalov beat Japanese qualifier Taro Daniel 6-4, 6-3, and Lithuanian qualifier Ricardas Berankis outdueled Aussie lucky loser Alexei Popyrin 6-4, 7-6 (7).
Chile Dove Men+Care Open
Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro fired 10 aces en route to a 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 win over third-seeded Federico Delbonis of Argentina in second-round action at Santiago, Chile.
Monteiro never faced a break point in the final two sets, during which he won 25 of his 28 first-serve points. His quarterfinal opponent will be seventh-seeded Sebastian Baez, who beat Juan Ignacio Londero 6-3, 6-3 in an all-Argentina matchup.
Second-seeded Albert Ramos-Vinolas won an all-Spain showdown against Carlos Taberner 6-2, 7-6 (4) to earn a matchup against eighth-seeded Facundo Bagnis of Argentina, who got past Bolivia’s Hugo Dellien 6-2, 6-2.
Abierto Mexicano Telcel
Top-seeded Daniil Medvedev of Russia and fourth-seeded Rafael Nadal moved one step closer to a possible semifinal meeting, easily winning their second-round matches in Acapulco, Mexico.
Medvedev routed Spain’s Pablo Andujar 6-1, 6-2 before Nadal dominated the United States’ Stefan Kozlov 6-0, 6-3.
Third-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece never faced a break point while crushing the United States’ J.J. Wolf 6-1, 6-0.
Other second-round winners included sixth-seeded Cameron Norrie of Great Britain, Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka and the United States duo Marcos Giron and Tommy Paul. Second-seeded Alexander Zverev of Germany, the defending champion, was defaulted from the event for attacking the chair umpire during a Tuesday doubles match, so another German, Peter Gojowczyk, earned a walkover win into the quarterfinals.
–Field Level Media
