Defending champion Novak Djokovic reached the China Open quarter-final after a 6-3, 7-5 defeat of world no.41 Vasek Pospisil on Wednesday at the Beijing Olympic Green Tennis Center.
Novak won 82 per cent of his first-serve points during the match lasting one hour and 25 minutes. He broke four times in nine attempts, improving to 2-0 in FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings against the Canadian.
The top seed broke twice in the opening set to take it 6-3.
The only break Novak surrendered was in the seventh game of the second set. The Serb broke back in the 10th game after saving a set point, and converted his third match point two games later to record his 46th win this season and advance into the last eight.
Match statistics: aces (5-14), double faults (0-6), winners (10-26), unforced errors (14-34), total points won (73-53).
Novak will face no.5 seed Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria (4-1 H2H record) who defeated Spain’s Pablo Andujar in straight sets.
The four-time titlist is looking to maintain his unbeaten record at the ATP World Tour 500 tournament (21-0). Nole was victorious in 2009-’10 and ’12-13.
Nole and his partner Filip Krajinovic pulled out of the doubles competition ahead of their quarter-final match with Fabio Fognini and Leonardo Mayer. The Serbian duo had previously received a walkover, when Ernests Gulbis and Marcin Matkowski withdrew from their first round encounter with injury (Gulbis).
Photo: AP
