Champion Djokovic Made To Fight For Victory

© Barclays Dubai Tennis ChampionshipsMarcos Baghdatis has an 0-3 record against semi-final opponent Novak Djokovic.

Serb defeats Croat Ljubicic to book semi final berth

Defending champion Novak Djokovic withstood a stern challenge from veteran Croat Ivan Ljubicic to reach the semi-finals of the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships, winning 2-6 6-4 6-0. Marin Cilic, meanwhile, fell to Jurgen Melzer.

Ljubicic dominated the opening set against the second-seeded Serb, firing down seven aces and not giving Djokovic an opportunity to settle into the match. A break for 3-2 when Djokovic netted a forehand volley at close quarters was followed by another break for 5-2 when Djokovic made a backhand error, and Ljubicic then served out the set at love.

The seventh game of the second set proved crucial as Djokovic held off two break points to hold for 4-3, and he went on to break for the set at 5-4 when Ljubicic put a forehand wide. Ljubicic then faded badly in the deciding set, dropping his serve in the second game. A buoyant Djokovic then held serve at love for the first time in the match, and swept 18 of the last 22 points.

"It was a very slow start for me, with terrible serving," said Djokovic. "I think he served as well as anybody on the tour right now. It’s very difficult for me to get some returns back. So I was just trying to be patient and wait for my opportunities, and when I faced them, I should use them.

"That's what I did. I think the crucial moment was basically at 3-all when I saved some break balls, and in that important 10th game of the second set where I got some returns back and put some pressure on him. I was aware if I get into the rally I have more chances of winning the point, and that was my advantage."

Cilic suffered only his second defeat in 19 matches this season after winning tournaments in Chennai and Zagreb and reaching the semi-finals of the Australian Open. And he appeared to be on the way to yet another victory as he led Melzer 4-1 in the first set.

In windy conditions that led to the umbrella over the umpire’s chair being removed, Cilic broke with a forehand winner to lead 3-1 then held two break points for a commanding 5-1 lead. Cilic netted his return on the first and the second was saved with a fiercely-struck forehand as Melzer held the six-deuce game.

After holding for 2-4 Melzer broke in the seventh game when Cilic made a backhand error, and after holding for 4-4 the Austrian left-hander held a break point to lead 5-4. That was saved with an ace, but a double-fault then gave Melzer a second break point and a backhand error from Cilic gave Melzer his first lead of the match.

The contest remained evenly poised as Melzer failed to serve out the set, putting a forehand wide on break point, and after the set went to a tiebreak Cilic held one set point on serve but it was Melzer who took the set with an ace on his third set point.

The second set also remained in the balance, with Cilic fighting off two break points that would have left Melzer serving for the match at 5-3. Then Melzer was placed under pressure by a break point at 5-5 before holding with an ace to lead 6-5. In a tense finale, a fine backhand winner set up match point for Melzer, and a backhand error from Cilic closed out the match.

Melzer will now face seventh seeded Russian Mikhail Youzhny in the semi-finals after Serb Janko Tipsarevic was unable to follow up his victory over Andy Murray and was beaten 6-3 6-4. Just one break in each set decided the outcome, with Tipsarevic double-faulting to give Youzhny a 5-3 lead in the first set and then dropping his serve at 3-3 in the second.

Djokovic will play recent Sydney champion Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus, who ended the run of Germany’s Michael Berrer 7-6 6-1. After a first set that saw no breaks of serve, Baghdatis took control of the second to build a 5-0 lead. Even so, Berrer showed considerable resistance, saving 13 of 15 break points in the match.

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 and owned and organised by Dubai Duty Free, continues until February 27th.

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