ASTANA/STARNBERG, October 6, 2022
Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev have both booked spots in the quarterfinals of the Astana Open. Djokovic, wild card entry and No. 4 seed at the ATP 500 hard-court event in Kazakhstan, eased past Botic van de Zandschulp from the Netherlands 6-3, 6-1 on Thursday.
In the pair’s first meeting, the 35-year-old Serbian, champion at last week’s Tel Aviv Open, struck five aces and won 80 per cent of his first-service points to succeed in one hour and 11 minutes.
In the groove 🙌@DjokerNole takes out van de Zandschulp 6-3 6-1 and moves into the Astana Open quarter-finals!#AstanaOpen pic.twitter.com/rQPs4dqKwj
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 6, 2022
“I think my serve worked very well when I needed to get out of the trouble in the first set particularly,” said Djokovic, who has not dropped serve in his past three matches. “There were some 30/30 games, and when I broke his serve for 4-2, I faced a break point and I came in, and he had a look at that passing shot and he missed it. The match is decided in these moments. [Between] 5-2 or 4-3 up there is a big difference, and I served well to end the first set.”
Djokovic will next meet Karen Khachanov of Russia after the US Open semi-finalist earlier prevailed 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 against ninth-seeded Croatian Marin Cilic in two hours and 24 minutes.
Medvedev, Hurkacz advance
Later in the evening, Medvedev defeated Emil Ruusuvuori from Finland 6-3, 6-2. The No. 2 seed from Russia converted five of his 10 break-point chances to advance in one hour and 14 minutes. Up next for Medvedev will be Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut.
In other action, No. 7 seed Hubert Hurkacz edged out home favourite Alexander Bublik in one hour and 20 minutes to face No. 3 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece in the stage of the final eight on Friday.
