Novak Djokovic beat Alex De Minaur 7-5 6-4 in 2 hours and four minutes to reach the semifinal at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters for the first time since his triumph in 2015.
Djokovic avenged his recent defeat to De Minaur at the United Cup to improve to 2-1 in his three head-to-head matches against his Australian opponent.
Djokovic converted five of his eleven break points. De Minaur saved five of the six break points he faced.
Djokovic faced two break points in the opening game, but he saved them and held serve after De Minaur made a backhand error. Both players went on serve without facing any break points until the ninth game. De Minaur squandered game points as he was serving to stay in the set at 4-5. The Australian player saved a set point with a forehand winner and held serve. Djokovic saved a break point to hold serve in the 11th game after a forehand error.
De Minaur fended off two set points at 5-6. Djokovic converted his third break after a loose drop shot from De Minaur to seal the first set 7-5.
There were five straight breaks in the second set. Djokovic earned his fourth break point in the sixth game after De Minaur sent a backhand long. Djokovic went up a 40-15 lead in the seventh game, but De Minaur fought back by winning four straight points to break back for 4-3. Both players held serve in the eighth and ninth games. De Minaur served to stay in the match at 4-5. Djokovic clinched his fourth break of the set to book his spot in the semifinal.
“It was tough for both of us. He is one of the quickest players on Tour. He gets a lot of balls back that normally 99% of other players don’t. He did not surprise me with several passing shots. Particularly in the second set when I was up a break, but he said at the net it was ugly. The second set I think it was. We did not play at the high level and made a lot of unforced errors, him and I, and a lot of breaks of serve. It is kind of expected on clay but maybe not this many, but a win is a win but I am happy to be through”, said Djokovic.
Djokovic set up a semifinal clash against Casper Ruud, who recovered from losing the second set to beat Ugo Humbert 6-3 4-6 6-1.
Ruud broke twice in the fifth and ninth games to win the first set 6-3. The Norwegian player went up a set and a break at 6-3 2-0, but Humbert won four consecutive games to take a 4-2 lead with two breaks of serve. Ruud held on his next two service games to win the second set 6-4.
Ruud broke serve in the fourth and sixth games and served out the win on his second match point.
“It was tough. It was back and forth. I started great and I was up 6-3 2-0 after 50 minutes. I was playing really good tennis and then I stumbled a bit. I lost maybe ten points in a row at one point there, so I had to try and stop the bleeding. I was not able to in the second set, but in the third set I was a bit fortunate I got the break early and then saved a few break points. God knows how, but luckily they landed inside the lines”, said Ruud.
