Djokovic Beaten By Robredo in Cincinnati Third Round; Federer, Ferrer Move On

August 15, 2014 | By New York Tennis Magazine Staff
Photo credit: Adam Wolfthal

Novak Djokovic was ousted from the Western and Southern Open on Thursday, losing to Spaniard Tommy Robredo 7-6(6), 7-5 in the third round from Cincinnati.

The number one ranked Serb was seeking a run at a Career Golden Masters, which would mean winning all nine of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Tournaments in his career. This one in Cincinnati is the one that still eludes him although he has reached the finals of the event four times.

It is the second straight third-round exit for the top-seeded Serb. Last week, Djokovic lost to eventual champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the third-round of the Rogers Cup and has now lost two of his last three matches.

“Just many, many, many things are not clicking these two weeks on hard courts,” said Djokovic after the match. “It’s unfortunate, but it’s more than obvious I’m not playing even close to what I’m supposed to play. I have to keep on working and trying to get better for the US Open.”

Robredo held a strong advantage in the first set tiebreaker before Djokovic was able to save three set points. The 16th-seeded Spaniard ripped an ace on his next serve, however, to claim the set.

While the match was close throughout, sloppy play from Djokovic allowed Robredo to stay in front. After a double-fault from the Serb in the 10th game of the second set, Robredo smashed a forehand winner which sunk Djokovic for good.

“It’s happened only two times in 13, 14 years of my career, so I have to be very, very happy,” said the 32-year old Robredo, who beat a world number one for the second time in his career. “Obviously right now I’m still in the tournament; the important thing is to try to keep winning. But when I finish my career and when I will be sitting at home and talking with friends, I will remember days like this.”

Robredo now moves into the quarterfinals and will play his countryman David Ferrer. The sixth-seeded Ferrer rolled past Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny 7-5, 6-0 on Thursday.

The last two Americans left in the field were eliminated on Thursday, as both John Isner and Steve Johnson fell in extremely close matches.

Johnson lost a long three-set bout with Canadian Milos Raonic, the second time in as many tournaments that the Canadian knocked out the American. He will play 15th-seeded Fabio Fognini next.

Isner fought off two match points in a third-set tiebreaker before eventually coming up short against eighth-seeded Andy Murray 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-7(2).

“I had lost a few close matches—matches like that—over the last few months, so it was important for me to come through,” said Murray, who was won this tournament twice in his career. “You know, it was completely packed crowd from the first point right until the end as well.”

Murray’s victory sets up a quarterfinal clash with Swiss Roger Federer who beat France’s Gael Monfils 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in their third-round match. Murray has a slight edge in the all-time head-to-head battle over Federer, 11-10.

“I think it was a huge match for him to beat Isner,” said Federer of Murray. “Those are the kind of matches you need to win to get going again. I know I’m in for a tough one.”


New York Tennis Magazine Staff
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