Novak Has Routine Win in Dubai

Novak Djokovic has routine win in Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships

By Jawad Bisharat          2/25/15

As easily predicted Novak Djokovic dismantled Andrey Golubev 6-1, 6-2 in just over an hour at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships today.

Djokovic increased his first serve percentage to 61% from 50% just a day prior. However he only hit 1 ace in his routine win and quest for 5th Dubai title.

“Having one match under my belt before today's encounter helped me to feel a bit more comfortable to move around on the court quicker, and I tried to take away the time from my opponent today,” said Djokovic. “It was just a much better performance than yesterday. Hopefully I can improve as the tournament progresses.”

Novak will face qualifier Marsel Ilhan who upset the left handed Spaniard and #6 seed Feliciano Lopez. Lopez admittedly came into the tournament under the weather...or lets hope that was the reason he was upset by the #104th player in the world. 

Federer, Murray and Berdych also move on to the QF's.

Although I am a definite fan of Marcus Baghdatis, I am surprised and disappointed by how he ended his match today. Who retires from a match during a 3rd set tiebreaker? This is one I have never seen before in my 35 years of watching tennis. Why not just play a few more points and give your opponent the win?? He didn't break his ankle, he had cramps, suck it up for 2 more minutes Marcus, you're better than that. 

Today's tennis match schedule

DUBAI DUTY FREE        Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Previous Day

• CENTRE COURT Start 2:00 pm
  Joao Sousa (POR) v	[3] Andy Murray (GBR) H2H
  Not Before 4:00 pm
  [4] Tomas Berdych (CZE) v	Simone Bolelli (ITA) H2H
  Not Before 7:00 pm
  [1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) v	Andrey Golubev (KAZ) H2H
  Fernando Verdasco (ESP) v	[2] Roger Federer (SUI) H2H

• COURT 1 Start 3:00 pm
  [7] Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) v	Richard Gasquet (FRA) H2H
  [Q] Jamie Murray (GBR) John Peers (AUS) v	Raven Klaasen (RSA) Leander Paes (IND) ATP
  Not Before 7:15 pm
  [1] Bob Bryan (USA) Mike Bryan (USA) v	Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) Joao Sousa (POR) ATP

• COURT 2 Start 3:00 pm
  Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) v	Denis Istomin (UZB) H2H

• COURT 3 Start 3:00 pm
  [WC] Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) v	[LL] Borna Coric (CRO) H2H
  Not Before 4:00 pm
  [3] Vasek Pospisil (CAN) Edouard Roger-Vasselin (FRA) v	Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi (PAK) Nenad Zimonjic (SRB) ATP
  [Q] Marsel Ilhan (TUR) v	[6] Feliciano Lopez (ESP) H2H

  ABIERTO MEXICANO TELCEL    Wednesday, February 25, 2015

  Previous Day

  • CANCHA CENTRAL Start 4:00 pm
    [Q] Ryan Harrison (USA) v	[3] Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) H2H
    Not Before 6:00 pm
    [1] Maria Sharapova (RUS) v	[LL] Mariana Duque-Mariño (COL) WTA
    Not Before 8:00 pm
    [1] Kei Nishikori (JPN) v	Yen-Hsun Lu (TPE) H2H
    Marinko Matosevic (AUS) v	[2] David Ferrer (ESP) H2H

  • GRAND STAND Start 4:00 pm
    [Q] Elena Bogdan (ROU) v	Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) WTA
    [WC/4] Kevin Anderson (RSA) v	Steve Johnson (USA) H2H
    Monica Puig (PUR) v	[2] Sara Errani (ITA) WTA
    Mariusz Fyrstenberg (POL) Santiago Gonzalez (MEX) v	[2] Marcel Granollers (ESP) Marc Lopez (ESP) ATP

  • CANCHA 3 Start 4:00 pm
    Andreas Haider-Maurer (AUT) v	[5] Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) H2H
    [8] Benjamin Becker (GER) v	Bernard Tomic (AUS) H2H
    [6] Ivo Karlovic (CRO) v	Dusan Lajovic (SRB) H2H
    Andre Begemann (GER) Robin Haase (NED) v	Benjamin Becker (GER) Philipp Oswald (AUT) ATP

  • CANCHA 4 Start 4:00 pm
    Jocelyn Rae (GBR) Anna Smith (GBR) v	[WC] Carolina Betancourt (MEX) Adriana Guzman (MEX) WTA
    Viktor Troicki (SRB) v	[WC/7] Santiago Giraldo (COL) H2H
    Johanna Larsson (SWE) v	Aleksandra Krunic (SRB) WTA
    Mariana Duque-Mariño (COL) María Irigoyen (ARG) v	Eri Hozumi (JPN) Makoto Ninomiya (JPN) WTA
    Sam Groth (AUS) Chris Guccione (AUS) v	[WC] Tigre Hank (MEX) Manuel Sanchez (MEX) ATP

  • CANCHA 2 Start 4:00 pm
    Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (CRO) v	María-Teresa Torró-Flor (ESP) WTA
    [3] Caroline Garcia (FRA) v	Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) WTA
    Kiki Bertens (NED) v	[LL] Sesil Karatantcheva (BUL) WTA
    Victoria Rodriguez (MEX) Marcela Zacarias (MEX) v	Elena Bogdan (ROU) Nicole Melichar (USA) WTA
    Louisa Chirico (USA) Ana Sofia Sánchez (MEX) v	Irina Falconi (USA) Eva Hrdinova (CZE) WTA

  • CANCHA 1 Start 4:00 pm
    Eric Butorac (USA) Rajeev Ram (USA) v	[Q] Dustin Brown (GER) Tobias Kamke (GER) ATP
    Not Before 6:00 pm
    Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) v	[5] Timea Bacsinszky (SUI) WTA
    [1] Ivan Dodig (CRO) Marcelo Melo (BRA) v	Treat Huey (PHI) Scott Lipsky (USA) ATP
    [1] Andrea Hlavackova (CZE) Lucie Hradecka (CZE) v	Timea Bacsinszky (SUI) Chia-Jung Chuang (TPE) WTA

Djokovic Overcomes Pospisil in Dubai

Djokovic Overcomes Pospisil in Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships

By Jawad Bisharat  2/24/15 

Number 1 player in the world Novak Djokovic has a standard 6-4 6-4 victory over Vasek Pospisil in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship. 

Although Novak served at only 50% first serve percentage he won 78% of those points and 60% of second serve points which proved to be enough to secure the match. 

Pospisil was only able to win 33% of his second serve points. This puts a lot of pressure on your service game and and against the best returner in the world you have a slim chance of winning a set. As the old adage says "you're only as good as your second serve".

"I'm still looking for that rhythm on the court," said Novak following the match. "But I managed to stay mentally tough. I was patient in rallies, I thought. As soon as we get through the rally, I have a better chance of winning. He's a very flashy player, aggressive, goes after his shots."

Next up for Djokovic is Andrey Golubev who is currently ranked #107 in the ATP ranking but was as high as #33 in the world back in 2010. Golubev has proven he can compete with the best in the world when he defeated #3 Stan Wawrinka in Davis Cup QF match in 2014.

In other notible matches, F. Lopez, Andy Murray and F. Verdasco all move on to 2nd round. 

Twitter: @1stserveace

Roger Federer makes quick work of Youzhny in Dubai

© DDFTC

Roger Federer makes quick work of Youzhny in Dubai

By Jawad Bisharat

Roger Federer made quick work of Mikhail Youzhny in the first round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships  6-3, 6-1.

Federer broke first in the 1st set at 3-3 and continued a 7 game win streak against the Russian.

Youzhny, now 32 years old, has never beaten Federer and Monday it was all the same. Youzhny doesn't match up well against Federer. Their style of play is very similar except Federer does everything just a little better except for the backhand which I feel is equal in quality.

Federer coming of a surprise loss to Seppi at the Australian Open last month is seeking his 7th Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship title.  

"I think it was close in that first set." said Federer. "I think we were both trying to find our range. I'm happy I didn't start to play too careful after it, because it is tough to play here in Dubai with the quick conditions. After that, I think I started to return much better. Serve got a bit more consistent. My half volleys were getting better. I was able to get the set and the break, and then that's when you can bring it home."

In other matches, Denis Istomin upset #14 in the world Ernests Gulbis 7-5, 6-2. Gulbis, has not won a match in 2015. Istomin on the other hand plays a bigger game then his #65 ranking leads you to believe. He possesses all the stokes to compete with the top 20. 

"I'm not in good form right now," said Gulbis, who led 4-1 in the first set. "I'm not feeling my shots at all. I have no timing. In practice I have been playing worse than in the match."

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