Djokovic Finds Form For SF Berth At Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships

© Barclays Dubai Tennis ChampionshipsNovak Djokovic

Simon beats former champion Santoro

Top seed Novak Djokovic finally found the form that took him to a Grand Slam title last year as he reached the semi-finals of the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships with a 6-3 6-4 victory over fifth seeded Marin Cilic of Croatia.

After struggling through his first two matches the Serb was in top form as won 12 straight points to sweep to a 4-1 lead. Cilic though then placed Djokovic under pressure, holding two break points at 5-3 as Djokovic served for the opening set. The second set was even more closely contested, with just a single break for 3-2 separating the two players.

“I think the key today was movement and focus,” said Djokovic. “I was really trying to move well in the point, be patient, and just wait for the chances that have been given to me throughout the whole match because I was returning well, as well. I needed to make kind of a combination of the game, aggressive game, and then patient game at the same time, which I think I did well.”

Gilles Simon brought down the curtain on the distinguished Dubai career of fellow Frenchman Fabrice Santoro, defeating the 36-year old veteran they call ‘The Magician’ 7-6 6-1.

Santoro, who will retire at the end of the season, reached the first final held in 1993, falling to Czech Karol Novacek, and then won a remarkable final 10 years later when he rose from his sick bed to defeat Morocco’s Younes El Aynaoui. That remains his outstanding memory over his 17 years in Dubai.

“I think that's the main one, because I remember that year, I was playing very good tennis, and I reached the final,” said Santoro. “And then the next 24 hours before the final was a tragic situation because I was feeling so bad. I was really, really sick, as sick as I've ever been in my life. Just a half hour before the match, I thought I wouldn't be able to go on the court and I went out there, and two hours later, I came out with the trophy.”

Simon was pleased that Santoro was able to close out his Dubai adventure in style, playing a quarter-final and then receiving a model of an Arabian dhow in a special presentation held on the court.

“I’m just sad because he’s going to stop at the end of the year,” said Simon. “His last tournament (at the Paris Masters), maybe I’m going to watch every match he’s going to play because you never know what one you’re going to lose. But I think it’s nice for him to play the last match (in Dubai) on the centre court and to receive a prize at the end.”

While Djokovic will play Simon in one semi-final, Spain’s David Ferrer will play unseeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet in the other.

Ferrer played a strong second set to defeat sixth-seeded Russian Igor Andreev 7-5 6-1, while Gasquet received a walkover when Britain’s Andy Murray withdrew with a virus.

“I woke up in the middle of the night sweating. I got antibiotics from the doctor yesterday evening after the match and they obviously didn’t help that much,” said the disappointed second seed.

“I got up, had some breakfast and then slept again for three hours and then the guys woke me up and I wasn’t feeling good. Obviously I’ve caught something, my temperature’s up, sore throat, sore head, my body’s aching a little bit, so I need to take some time off.”

Play at the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships, which is held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, continues at the Dubai Tennis Stadium until 28th February.