PARIS:
Novak Djokovic is hoping to Paris 2024 Games it will be his most successful Olympics to date, as he continues to chase the gold medal he has won so far.
After an impressive straight sets win over Dutch No. 39 Tallon Griekspoor on Wednesday to reach his 13th Dubai quarter-final in as many appearances, Djokovic said that about his ambitions for the Olympic Games next year.
“I hope I can play healthy for the Olympics in Paris next year,” said Djokovic, whose best performance at the Games came in 2008 when he won in bronze in singles.
“It will be held on clay at Roland Garros, I am familiar with those courts, so I hope that the best Olympic result for me will come there.”
Two of Djokovic’s 22 Grand Slam titles have come at Roland Garros, in 2016 and 2021.
With a more direct presentation compared to his opening game in Dubai, Djokovic extended his unbeaten streak this season to 14-0 – and his winning streak to 19 matches – with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Griekspoor, one of the most improved players in the tournament in the last two months.
A clean performance from Djokovic, who dropped two points behind his first serve and rattled off 29 wins with just six unforced errors.
“It was a great evening for me tonight. Yesterday I worked really hard to get a win,” said the five-time Dubai champion Djokovic, who defeated number 130 Tomas Machac in the third set winner in the first round. .
“Tonight I think straight from the blocks, from the beginning I was sharp.”
Djokovic was broken early in the match before the match was interrupted by light rain. The brief delay did nothing to dampen the rhythm of the top brass, as he comfortably finished the set at 34 minutes.
The 35-year-old jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second set but had to battle through a marathon 16-minute match to make it 4-0.
Djokovic broke in his first attempt to serve in the match but quickly recovered, improving to 2-0 head against Griekspoor and one hour 21-minute winner.
Djokovic will next face Marseille champion Hubert Hurkacz this weekend for a place in the semi-finals.
Andrey Rublev thought he had no more life left when he stared down five straight points in the second set against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
But the Russian rallied from 1-6 down in the breaker to force a decider, then edged Davidovich Fokina 1-6, 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 ( 7/3) to keep his Dubai title defense alive.
It was the third time Rublev had saved match points en route to victory, after beating Holger Rune in the fourth round of the Australian Open. and against Griekspoor in Doha last week.
“I’m not feeling it right now because in my mind, the match is over,” Rublev said on Wednesday.
“When you’re lucky three times, almost the last three tournaments – Australian Open, Doha and Dubai – three tournaments in a row, it’s like, how many more Christmas presents can I get there?”
Rublev, who is trying to become the first Dubai champion since Roger Federer in 2014-15, will face Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp in the quarter-finals.
Third seed Daniil Medvedev, a champion in Rotterdam and Doha last week, earned his 11th victory with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Alexander Bublik.
“I think confidence is more important than weakness, because you don’t want to stop,” said Medvedev who faces Borna Coric on Thursday in the last eight.
Italian world number 67 Lorenzo Sonego beat fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 for his first win over 10 of the season and his fifth job.
Next up is German No. 7 Alexander Zverev in the last eight
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