Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic overcame big servers Thursday to reach the quarterfinals of the Paris Masters.
Nadal defeated last year’s runner-up Jerzy Janowicz 7-5, 6-4, while Djokovic rallied from a set down to beat John Isner 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-2.
Defending champion David Ferrer, Juan Martin del Potro, Tomas Berdych, Roger Federer, Stanislas Wawrinka and Richard Gasquet also won their third-round matches.
The Paris Masters has turned into a rehearsal for the ATP World Tour Finals as the eight quarterfinalists are also the eight players who qualified for the London tournament next week. Wawrinka and Gasquet grabbed the last two spots at the season ending-event when Berdych eliminated Milos Raonic of Canada 7-6 (3), 6-4.
Nadal broke for a 6-5 lead before whipping a forehand winner down the line to take the first set.
The top-seeded Spaniard and Janowicz traded breaks early in the second set before the Pole double-faulted to hand Nadal a 3-2 lead. The U.S. Open champion clinched the victory when Janowicz’s forehand sailed long.
“I tried to move him, because if he plays in a good position, he has a great shot,” Nadal said. “I think for a moment my return was unbelievable today. I returned amazing balls.”
Nadal won at least 70 matches in a single season for the fifth time in his career. The Spaniard unseated Novak Djokovic atop the rankings by reaching the final of the China Open in October.
Nadal next faces Frenchman Gasquet, who downed Kei Nishikori of Japan 6-3, 6-2.
Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/more-sports/novak-djokovic-reaches-quarter-finals-at-paris-masters/article15183437/
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