TENNIS ATP SHANGHAI – Novak Djokovic beat David Ferrer for the seventh consecutive time with 6-4 6-2 to extend his winning streak on Chinese soil to 29 consecutive matches in China. In his career he collected five titles in the China Open in Beijing and two at the Shanghai Rolex Master. Djokovic set up a blockbuster semifinal against Roger Federer who beat Julien Benneteau 7-6 6-0. Feliciano Lopez will face Giles Simon in the other semifinal. Lopez battled past Mikhail Youzhny 5-7 6-4 6-4. Simon defeated Tomas Berdych 7-6 4-6 6-0. Diego Sampaolo
Djokovic broke serve in the second game of the opening set. He had to save two break points at 5-4 before closing it out after 57 minutes. Djokovic hit 16 winners to 18 unforced errors and won 25 of his 33 service points in the first set.
Djokovic broke serve twice in the first game and at 4-2 of the second set and closed out after one hour and 35 minutes. The final score does not reflect the good quality of the match as it featured a spectacular long rally which concluded the first set. Djokovic hit 26 winners against Ferrer’s 11.
Djokovic will face Roger Federer in a blockbuster semifinal on Saturday. Federer beat Julien Benneteau in the fourth quarter final with 7-6 6-0.
The first set came down to the tie-break with no breaks. Benneteau got a mini-break at 2-2 but Federer broke back and won five of the last five points to pull away to a 6.3 lead in the breaker. Federer got the first break of the match in the opening game of the second set and broke twice more. He converted the match point with an ace. In the second set Federer won 25 points to seven for Benneteau. he hit 11 aces and 34 winners
Federer and Djokovic will meet for the 36th time. The Swiss Maestro leads 18-17 in their previous head-to-head matches. They have not squared off against since their epic five-set Wimbledon won by Djokovic. The Serb also won their last clash on hard court in the Indian Wells final. Djokovic has not lost in China since losing to Roger Federer in the Shanghai semifinal in 2010.
“Every time we play against each other, it’s a thriller. It’s really a big challenge for both of us”, said Djokovic
Giles Simon beat Tomas Berdych 7-6 (7-4) 4-6 6-0 in just under two and a half hours to advance to his first Master 1000 semifinal since Paris Bercy in 2012. The Frenchman will take on Feliciano Lopez who fought back from a set down to edge Mikhail Youzhny with 5-7 6-4 6-4.
In the first quarter final between Giles Simon and Tomas Berdych the Frenchman earned two break points at 3-3 and 4.4 but Berdych saved them. The first set came down to the tie-break where Simon had to save two set points before taking the win with 7-4. In the first set Berdych hit 28 winners to 38 unforced errors. Simon produced 8 winners to 11 unforced errors.
The second set went on serve until 4-3 for Simon. The Frenchman wasted a break point before dropping his serve in the next game at 4-4. Berdych won the next two games to clinch the second set with 6-4 to force the match to the decider.
Simon cruised to a 3-0 lead with a break in the second set. Simon reeled off 13 points to 2 to win the second set with a bagel. The Frenchman, who beat another top-10 player Stan Wawrinka earlier this week, played in a Master 1000 final once in 2008 at the Mutua Open in Madrid.
“I feel my tennis is coming back. I am finding a better rhythm. I feel physically strong. Tomas is a great player. He is always hard to beat. I almost played the perfect match”, said Simon.
Simon set up a semifinal match against Feliciano Lopez who fought back from a 5-7 2-4 to overcome Mikhail Youzhny with 5-7 6-4 6-4. In the first set the Russian player broke serve before saving two tie-break points.
Youzhny got a break lead but he was broken back when he was leading 4-3. He faced a set point as he was serving at 4-5. Lopez clinched the decisive point with a backhand passing shot to take the second set and and forced the match to the third set.
Lopez led 4-1 in the third set and served for the match at 5-3. Lopez went down 0-40 as he was serving for the match. He saved two break points with his serve but he made a double fault on the third. Youzhny faced a match point as he was serving at 4-5. Lopez hit a passing shot to convert his first match point on Youzhny’s serve at 4-5 30-40 after two hours and three minutes.
Lopez hit 35 winners to 40 unforced errors. Youzhny produced 27 winners to 43 unforced errors.
Lopez will play his third semifinal in Shanghai after losing to Rafael Nadal in 2009 and David Ferrer in 2011. I twill be his second Master 1000 semifinal of the year after Toronto last August
“It’s a great feeling to be in the semis of a Master 1000. I always play my best tennis here”, said Lopez
