DUBAI:
Novak Djokovic said that he will know his fate regarding the permission to enter the United States before the film is shown in the Indian Wellsadding that he continues to focus on his campaign in Dubai at the moment.
Djokovicwho continued his march to a third title in as many tournaments this season with a 6-3, 7-5 win over Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz in the Dubai quarterfinals on Thursday, is waiting to hear if the American government will allow him. enter the country without vaccination.
The Masters 1000 in Indian Wells starts on March 8 and Djokovic said a decision will be made one way or the other before the draw for the ATP tour on Monday.
“Whatever the decision is before the draw, if I am not allowed, I will pull out, yes, before’ to make the draw,” assured Djokovic.
The world number one, who is looking for his sixth career in the north, improved to 5-0 against Hurkacz, 15-0 for the season, and extended his winning streak to 20 consecutive matches, it started at the ATP Finals last November.
“It was a challenging match as always Hubert. One of the best guys on the game for sure, good character, very loving guy,” said Djokovic, who will be next to Daniil Medvedev defeated Borna Coric 6-3, 6-2.
Djokovic, 35, faced a lack of points on his own serve and an impressive 12/13 at the net, needing just 71 minutes to seal victory.
“I think he has one of the best serves in the game,” Djokovic said of the 11th-seeded Hurkacz.
“In the second set, until the 11th game, I didn’t have many chances to counter his serve.
“Luckily for me I also found the rhythm with my serve in the second set. I’m really happy with the way I played under pressure.”
Medvedev will try to win 4-9 points against the Australian Open champion Djokovic.
Medvedev has won championships in Rotterdam and Doha, and is aiming for a third in Dubai. He has 12 match wins and hasn’t dropped a set this week.
“I’m playing well now,” Medvedev said. “But when Novak plays, Novak is the favorite.”
Alexander Zverev reached his first semi-final since tearing three ligaments in his right ankle during his match against Rafael Nadal at the French Open last June.
The German seventh seed defeated fellow Italian Lorenzo Sonego, 7-5, 6-4 in one hour and 52 minutes, saving all six points he faced. and him.
The 25-year-old Zverev was ranked number three in the world and was up a set on Nadal in their Roland Garros semi-final last year when he suffered a serious ankle injury.
“Last year at the French Open was the first time in my life I went to the matches, I went to the Alcaraz match, the Nadal match, and I thought ‘I can win the French Open and I will win. the French Open’,” said Zverev, who spent seven months on the sidelines after the injury.
“Obviously I didn’t, not only didn’t I win, but I broke everything I could on my ankle, and it was a tough time.
“But after an injury like that, I’m happy with where I’m at now, I’m back.
In the Dubai semi-finals on Friday, Zverev will take on number two Andrey Rublev, who is trying to successfully defend one of his 12 ATP titles for the first time in his career.
Rublev claimed his first victory in three meetings with Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp with a 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) result, a day after he saved five games against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
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