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Karlovic stuns Djokovic in Qatar
(MENAFN- Arab News) DOHA: World No.1 Novak Djokovic was buried by 21 aces as big-serving Croatian Ivo Karlovic clinched a 6-7 (2/7) 7-6 (8/6) 6-4 victory to reach the Qatar Open semifinals on Thursday.
Top seed Djokovic joined second seeded Rafael Nadal on the sidelines in Doha after the Spanish star lost in the first round.
Djokovic appeared hampered by a stiff wind which did not prevent Karlovic from hammering down the aces to take his total in three matches to 67 but made it hard for the favorite to control his groundstrokes.
Djokovic was nevertheless twice within two points of winning the match in the second set tie-breaker before dropping serve in the seventh game of the final set. He never looked likely to make a break back.
'I was feeling good despite the wind' said Karlovic. 'I know he wasn't able to show his full range. I was relaxed and didn't feel I had to do anything extraordinary. I just had to focus on my game.'
Karlovic the 35-year-old world No. 27 claimed his second career win over the world No.1 having also triumphed at the Madrid Masters in 2008.
The six-foot 11-inch Croat the tallest and oldest player on the main tour will face Spanish fourth seed David Ferrer for a place in the final.
Federer survives
In Brisbane Swiss tennis star Roger Federer won his 997th match on the ATP Tour on Thursday but not before surviving an almighty scare from Australian wildcard John Millman at the Brisbane International.
Playing his first match of the year after receiving a first round bye world No.2 Federer had to come from a set and a break down to overhaul Millman 4-6 6-4 6-3 in just over two hours.
Federer now plays another Australian wildcard James Duckworth in the quarterfinals following his 4-6 7-6 (7/5) 6-3 win over Finland's Jarkko Nieminen.
Earlier Canada's Milos Raonic fired off 17 aces in his 6-3 6-4 win over Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan.
He next takes on fellow big server Sam Groth in the quarter-finals after the Australian won 6-4 6-7 (2/7) 7-6 (7/3) over Polish qualifier Lukasz Kubot.
In the women's section top seeds Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic booked their places in the semifinals of the Brisbane International in vastly contrasting fashion on Thursday.
While world number two Sharapova cruised past Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro 6-1 6-3 Ivanovic was forced to recover from a horror start before edging Kaia Kanepi 4-6 6-4 6-3.
Sharapova was in ominous form on Pat Rafter Arena as she overpowered Suarez Navarro in just 68 minutes.
Svitolina earlier came from a set and 0-3 down to upset third-seeded German Angelique Kerber 4-6 7-5 6-3.
Lepchenko ended the run of Alla Kudryavtseva 7-5 7-5.
Wozniacki Venus in semis
In Auckland former World No.1s Caroline Wozniacki and Venus Williams overcame spirited opposition Thursday to reach the semifinals of the Auckland Classic.
Wozniacki the tournament top seed produced fighting qualities to overcome big-serving German Julia Goerges 6-4 6-4 and set up a final four clash with Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycova.
Third seed Williams had to come from 2-4 down in the second set to beat Russian Elena Vesnina 6-2 6-4 and will play fellow American Lauren Davis in the semis.
Wozniacki dropped her serve once and broke back twice in a tense first set
Davis was taken to her third three-setter in as many games when she recovered from losing the first set to beat Polish qualifier Urszula Radwanska 2-6 6-2 6-1.
Lopez knocked out in Chennai
In Chennai Spanish second seed Feliciano Lopez crashed out of the $450000 ATP Chennai Open on Thursday in a stunning second-round loss to qualifier Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia.
The world number 14 looked rusty in his first match of the season as he tamely went down 6-4 6-4 to the 156th-ranked Bedene in an hour and 25 minutes at the Nungambakkam tennis stadium.
'He played a great match and he was a better player than me in this match' Lopez said of his unfancied opponent.
The 15th-ranked Bautista-Agut proved too strong for number 102 Peter Gojowczyk of Germany cruising to a 6-3 6-2 win in an hour and 10 minutes.
Bautista-Agut a finalist in Chennai in 2013 struggled with his first serve and double-faulted four times but six aces and strong volleys from the baseline helped him dominate the German.
The 31-year-old Garcia-Lopez fought back after losing the first set to oust Tatsuma Ito of Japan 6-7 (1-7) 6-2 6-0 in two hours on an outside court.
Top seed Djokovic joined second seeded Rafael Nadal on the sidelines in Doha after the Spanish star lost in the first round.
Djokovic appeared hampered by a stiff wind which did not prevent Karlovic from hammering down the aces to take his total in three matches to 67 but made it hard for the favorite to control his groundstrokes.
Djokovic was nevertheless twice within two points of winning the match in the second set tie-breaker before dropping serve in the seventh game of the final set. He never looked likely to make a break back.
'I was feeling good despite the wind' said Karlovic. 'I know he wasn't able to show his full range. I was relaxed and didn't feel I had to do anything extraordinary. I just had to focus on my game.'
Karlovic the 35-year-old world No. 27 claimed his second career win over the world No.1 having also triumphed at the Madrid Masters in 2008.
The six-foot 11-inch Croat the tallest and oldest player on the main tour will face Spanish fourth seed David Ferrer for a place in the final.
Federer survives
In Brisbane Swiss tennis star Roger Federer won his 997th match on the ATP Tour on Thursday but not before surviving an almighty scare from Australian wildcard John Millman at the Brisbane International.
Playing his first match of the year after receiving a first round bye world No.2 Federer had to come from a set and a break down to overhaul Millman 4-6 6-4 6-3 in just over two hours.
Federer now plays another Australian wildcard James Duckworth in the quarterfinals following his 4-6 7-6 (7/5) 6-3 win over Finland's Jarkko Nieminen.
Earlier Canada's Milos Raonic fired off 17 aces in his 6-3 6-4 win over Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan.
He next takes on fellow big server Sam Groth in the quarter-finals after the Australian won 6-4 6-7 (2/7) 7-6 (7/3) over Polish qualifier Lukasz Kubot.
In the women's section top seeds Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic booked their places in the semifinals of the Brisbane International in vastly contrasting fashion on Thursday.
While world number two Sharapova cruised past Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro 6-1 6-3 Ivanovic was forced to recover from a horror start before edging Kaia Kanepi 4-6 6-4 6-3.
Sharapova was in ominous form on Pat Rafter Arena as she overpowered Suarez Navarro in just 68 minutes.
Svitolina earlier came from a set and 0-3 down to upset third-seeded German Angelique Kerber 4-6 7-5 6-3.
Lepchenko ended the run of Alla Kudryavtseva 7-5 7-5.
Wozniacki Venus in semis
In Auckland former World No.1s Caroline Wozniacki and Venus Williams overcame spirited opposition Thursday to reach the semifinals of the Auckland Classic.
Wozniacki the tournament top seed produced fighting qualities to overcome big-serving German Julia Goerges 6-4 6-4 and set up a final four clash with Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycova.
Third seed Williams had to come from 2-4 down in the second set to beat Russian Elena Vesnina 6-2 6-4 and will play fellow American Lauren Davis in the semis.
Wozniacki dropped her serve once and broke back twice in a tense first set
Davis was taken to her third three-setter in as many games when she recovered from losing the first set to beat Polish qualifier Urszula Radwanska 2-6 6-2 6-1.
Lopez knocked out in Chennai
In Chennai Spanish second seed Feliciano Lopez crashed out of the $450000 ATP Chennai Open on Thursday in a stunning second-round loss to qualifier Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia.
The world number 14 looked rusty in his first match of the season as he tamely went down 6-4 6-4 to the 156th-ranked Bedene in an hour and 25 minutes at the Nungambakkam tennis stadium.
'He played a great match and he was a better player than me in this match' Lopez said of his unfancied opponent.
The 15th-ranked Bautista-Agut proved too strong for number 102 Peter Gojowczyk of Germany cruising to a 6-3 6-2 win in an hour and 10 minutes.
Bautista-Agut a finalist in Chennai in 2013 struggled with his first serve and double-faulted four times but six aces and strong volleys from the baseline helped him dominate the German.
The 31-year-old Garcia-Lopez fought back after losing the first set to oust Tatsuma Ito of Japan 6-7 (1-7) 6-2 6-0 in two hours on an outside court.
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