 "Italian Open: Novak Djokovic, Iga Swiatek ease through, Andrey Rublev, Jannik Sinner exit")
Novak Djokovic eased into the Italian Open quarter-finals on Tuesday after breezing past Cameron Norrie although there was tension with the Briton after the top seed was hit by a smash. While Djokovic dispatched Norrie 6-3, 6-4, Monte Carlo Masters winner Andrey Rublev and home hope Jannik Sinner both crashed out in Rome. Djokovic has reached the last eight in each of his previous 16 appearances in the Italian capital and he did it again, getting past Norrie on centre court to set up a clash with Holger Rune in a tournament which is a key warmup for the French Open.
Achievement unlocked 🔓
— ATP Tour (@atptour) May 16, 2023
The defending champion glides through to the QF’s in Rome for the 17th consecutive year 👉@InteBNLdItalia | #IBI23 pic.twitter.com/DMHaiArxoK
It will be a rematch of last year’s Paris Masters final, when the 20-year-old Dane won his first Masters 1000 title by beating Djokovic in a thrilling match. “Even though he’s really young, I know his game quite well. He’s been on the tour now for last few years playing some great tennis, particularly in the last I would say six to eight months,” said Djokovic. “He’s in very good form and I look forward to a challenge. I think it’s going to be a very physical match.” Djokovic is gunning for a seventh title on clay in Rome and his chances have been made a little easier by the shock elimination of Carlos Alcaraz on Monday. Alcaraz, who won two consecutive tournaments at Barcelona and Madrid, will take world number one spot from Djokovic on 22 May but it is the 22-time Grand Slam champion who could go into Roland Garros with yet another title under his belt. Djokovic won the first three games against Norrie and closed out the first set with little fuss, without needing to be at his best. The 35-year-old then took the second set to 2-1 with a break, but in the next game Norrie broke back while angering Djokovic with a smash which hit him on the back of his left leg. Norrie had the whole court to put the ball away as Djokovic had given up on the point and was walking back to the service line. Bringing the fire
That moment at the net between Djokovic and Norrie: pic.twitter.com/2NKhxq1jcM
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) May 16, 2023
The Briton raised his hand to apologise but at the changeover after Norrie moved to 3-2, Djokovic gave him another long stare as he passed him. And after Djokovic sealed victory with his second match point he gave Norrie a cursory handshake at the net, while avoiding eye contact and without exchanging a single word with his dispatched opponent. Djokovic later explained that he had been irritated by Norrie’s on-court behaviour since the start of the match, doing “things that we players know in the locker room it’s not fair play”. “He’s very nice guy off the court, so I don’t understand this kind of attitude on the court, to be honest. But it is what it is. He brought the fire, and I responded to that,” said Djokovic. “I’m not going to allow someone behaving like this just bending my head. I’m going to respond to that. “That’s all it is. What happens on the court, we leave it on the court, and we move on.”
Happy with the level today. On to the quarters. pic.twitter.com/rSAApiQ6Gk
— Daniil Medvedev (@DaniilMedwed) May 16, 2023
Third seed Daniil Medvedev came through 6-2, 7-6 (7/3) against Alexander Zverev, Casper Ruud dispatched Laslo Djere, and Croatian Borna Coric prevailed in three sets over Fabian Marozsan, the Hungarian outsider who shocked Carlos Alcaraz in the third round. Fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Lorenzo Sonego 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) in a third-round match which was suspended on Monday due to the rain to set up a meeting with another Italian, Lorenzo Musetti. In the match that started late, Tsitsipas beat Musetti 7-5, 7-5 and has Coric in his path next.
IMPRESSIVE 👊@YannickHanfmann stuns the #6 seed, Andrey Rublev, defeating him 7-6 4-6 6-3, and secures his spot in the quarter-finals of an ATP Masters 1000 for the first time 🔥@InteBNLdItalia | #IBI23 pic.twitter.com/XUfvZuyFql
— ATP Tour (@atptour) May 16, 2023
Rublev, seeded six, was upset 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 6-3 by the world’s 101-ranked player, German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann. And Italian eighth seed Sinner was sent packing by Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo 6-7 (3/7), 6-2, 6-2.
Defense to Offense 🔥
— wta (@WTA) May 16, 2023
Incredible stuff from @iga_swiatek to get the break deep in the 2nd set!#IBI23 pic.twitter.com/gHLYMIQiFD
In the women’s draw, Iga Swiatek took her Rome winning streak to 14 matches with a 6-3, 6-4 success over Donna Vekic. World number one Swiatek will take on Elena Rybakina in the quarter-finals after coming through the toughest match of her tournament so far. Her bid for a third title in as many years has been boosted by seeds two to six all being eliminated. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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