Djokovic into quarters, feels for injured Murray
ROME: Top seed Novak Djokovic played without ankle pain Thursday in a routine 6-1, 6-4 defeat of Alexandr Dolgopolov for a...
ROME: Top seed Novak Djokovic played without ankle pain Thursday in a routine 6-1, 6-4 defeat of Alexandr Dolgopolov for a quarter-final place at the Rome Masters, and then spared a thought for the injury plight of rival Andy Murray.
Djokovic dispatched Dolgopolov in an hour, with five aces and 13 winners in a contest which began 45 minutes late due to morning rain.
The two-time Rome champion will play Czech Tomas Berdych, a winner over South Africa's Kevin Anderson 7-5, 6-2, in the last eight.
Djokovic said that he had almost forgotten about his ankle injury since
winning the title in Monte Carlo over Rafael Nadal last month while carrying the problem.
That was not the case for Murray, though.
The Scot is on the verge of withdrawing from the French Open starting a week from Sunday after quitting his opening match in Rome with the chronic back pain which has bothered him for almost 18 months.
Djokovic, a few seasons ago known as injury-prone, is now an iron man who stands atop the world rankings. His most recent niggle, the ankle problem from early April, is now a thing of the past, according to the 25-year-old Serb.
Djokovic said that he is sorry to hear of the plight of Murray.
In the women's draw, unseeded two-time Foro Italico champion Jelena
Jankovic upset 2011 Roland Garros winner Li Na, the Chinese fifth seed, 7-6 (7/2), 7-5.
Italian seventh seed Sara Errani, runner-up in Paris a year ago to Maria Sharapova, advanced to the quarter-finals as Russian Maria Kirilenko quit trailing 6-3, 2-0 with a knee injury. (AFP)
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