DOHA, January 2, 2019

Novak Djokovic booked his place in the quarterfinals of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open. The World No. 1 had to fight hard coming from a set down to overcome Marton Fucsovics from Hungary 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.

Djokovic capitalized on four of his six break point chances to prevail after exactly two hours of play.

Battling back 👊@DjokerNole finishes strong to defeat Fucsovics 4-6 6-4 6-1 in Doha#QatarTennis pic.twitter.com/jCgb3gl6rr

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) 2. Januar 2019

“For the first two sets he was the better player,” said Djokovic, who lifted the trophy in Doha two times and improves to 14-1. “He played really well, smart, changing up the rhythm and the pace of the ball and moving me around.

“I was kind of in a corner and I had to find my way and fight my way through.”

Djokovic will next face Nikoloz Basilashvili. The No. 5 seed from Georgia eased past Russian young gun Andrey Rublev

“This my foruth year here in Doha,” Basilashvili said. “It is an unbelievable tournament. The conditions are perfect for tennis and I am feeling well on the court.” 

Djokovic won the only previous meeting between the two in straight sets at the ATP Masters in Rome last year.

Earlier on Wednesday, Stan Wawrinka beat Chile’s Nicolas Jarry 6-4, 7-6(3). The 33-year-old from Switzerland won 53 per cent of the total points played to advance in one hour and 28 minutes.

Seventh seed Roberto Bautista Agut disposed of Spanish compatriot Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-1, 6-4, while Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic defeated Ricardas Berankis of Lithuania 7-6(4), 0-6, 7-5.

Italy’s Marco Cecchinato received a walkover after his opponent Guido Pella of Argentina was forced to pull out due to low back pain.