Djokovic crushes Monfils, Alcaraz outlasts Paul

Cincinnati: Novak Djokovic extended his career-long reign of Gael Monfils with a 6-3, 6-2 victory on Thursday. to reach the quarterfinals of the ATP/WTA Cincinnati Open.

Serb second seed, two-time winner in Cincinnati. won his 19th bout against a French performer without losing.

He only needed 69 minutes to catch up with Carlos. Top-seeded Alcaraz advanced to the quarter-finals as the Spaniard endured heavy downpours to beat Tommy Paul 7-6 (8-6), 6-7 (7-0), 6- 3 and avenge last week’s loss to the Americans.

Djokovic applied early pressure on Monfils in the battle of the 36-year-old veteran, denying the final eighth No. 211 for the first time here since 2011.

Djokovic will face American Taylor Fritz, who stepped up after Dusan Lajovic retired with a toe injury, trailing 5-0.

Djokovic crashed once to claim the first set and quickly ran to a 5-0 lead in the second.

He stumbled while trying to serve. Stop serving only to finish two games later.

“Gail is one of the strongest athletes on tour. And he showed that in the first set,” said Djokovic. “Every ball came back from him.

“I served well and made him play. After the first break I didn’t look back and raised myself.

“I had a near flawless second set,” added Djokovic. “Hopefully I can keep doing it.”

Things haven’t been easy for Alcaraz compared to the players who stunned him in the quarterfinals in Toronto last week.

Alcaraz lost three points against Paul before the first game was rained down which forced the players off the pitch and had to pitch in a logistical ballet which eventually ended after a pass. more than three hours

The Spaniard is set to book a quarter-final meeting with Australian Max Purcell, who won 6-4, 6-2 over Swiss Stan Wawrinka.

After the rain paused, Alcaraz took the third brake. Come out and finish the last few points. ahead of 40 winners and 61 unforced errors.

“I really want to win. After what happened to him last week,” admitted Alcaraz, who reached his fifth Masters 1000 semi-final this season.

Alcaraz pulled off the best of his big game to beat Paul in a match that was initially interrupted 4-3 in the decider by weather conditions.

The top seed came back from four crashes in the first two sets. But he couldn’t stop when he had three chances in the 12th game of the second set.

After 15 minutes of the game, Paul secured the tie-break.

Alcaraz broke and served at 4-3 in the third when the rain stopped play for just over an hour.

Then a stop-start situation saw the court dry and players warming up just because of the rain to start again.

“Starting and stopping it all is not easy,” Alcaraz said. “I manage to wait well.”

However, there were disappointments for third-seeded Daniil Medvedev and fourth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Alexander Zverev beat Medvedev 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 in the old championship, while Poland’s Hubert Hurkaz defeated Tsitsipas 6-. 3, 6-4

SWIATEK PROGRESS

In the WTA draw, world number one Ika Swiatek changed her outfit after losing the first set and gained a new woman, beating Zeng Qinwen of China 3-6, 6-1, 6-1.

“My coach told me a few weeks ago that it might be a good idea to change clothes and get set up,” Poll said. “I tried it and it worked. I got a different feeling in the second set, thanks to the coach.”

Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova beat Sloane Stephens 7-5, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals of her event where she was 0-3 in her previous appearance.

“It was very special this week. I came here not knowing how I was going to play,” she said. “It was a pleasure to be back as Wimbledon champion.”

Third-placed Jessica Pegula Last Week’s Montreal Winner Lost in a match that ended in drizzling rain, losing 6-4, 6-0 to Mari Buzkova.

Fourth seed Elena Rybakina joins number eight Maria Sakkari in her retirement.

Raibakina, last year’s Wimbledon champion. Opens 6-4, 2-5 against Italian qualifier Jasmine Paolini. As Zachcari trailed 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 against Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic, Croatia’s Donna Vekic retired due to the virus, handing a 5-2 decision to the Ons. Three-time Grand Slam finalist Jabeur

Seventh seed Coco Gauff won the Teen Battle over Czech Linda Noskova 6-4, 6-0 in 62 minutes.

Published in Dawn, August 19, 2023