Novak Djokovic battles back and warns he can still shift up ‘a gear or two’

Novak Djokovic battled from a set down to beat Nikoloz Basilashvili in the Qatar Open and admitted he still has “a gear or two” left.
For the second day in a row, the world No 1 required three sets to move along in Doha as he won 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in just under two hours.
Basilashvili broke twice in the opening set and, although Djokovic got one break back, the Georgian took the set.
However, a single break in set two was enough for the Serb to draw level before he got the job done in the third set as Basilashvili crucially lost his serve in game five.
Another day, another comeback 🔄@DjokerNole recovers from a set down for a second straight day, defeating Basilashvili 4-6 6-3 6-4.#QatarTennis pic.twitter.com/sxsLxGM2YE
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) January 3, 2019
“I thought Basilashvili was playing terrific from the beginning. I expected him to,” Djokovic said. “I knew that he’s playing probably the tennis of his life in the past 10 months, and he’s definitely one of the greatest hitters in the game.”
He added: “I feel I have a gear or two up still. I can still get to one or two levels up, but I thought under the circumstances I managed to find a way to win against a player that is hitting the ball very fast and just being very aggressive. It’s hard to predict where the ball is going to go with a player like him.”.
He will face Roberto Bautista Agut for a place in the final after the Spaniard beat Stan Wawrinka 6-4, 6-4.
The other semi-final will see Tomas Berdych take on Marco Cecchinato.
Czech Berdych took one hour and 11 minutes to see off Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-2, 6-4 while Italian Cecchinato beat Dusan Lajovic of Serbia 7-6 (7-2), 6-2.
More from Tennis365:
-
-
Warning signs are flashing for Andy Murray as he prepares his final comeback attempt
-
Quiz! Test your knowledge on the players who retired in 2018
-
Rafael Nadal will be a more aggressive player in 2019, coach warns rivals
-
Gallery of stars Down Under: Roger Federer with a western rock lobster, Naomi Osaka with a python
-
Novak Djokovic: ‘Beating Roger Federer record my major career goal’
-
Latest
-
Tennis News
Timeline of Andy Murray’s injury nightmare as he pulls out of Australian Open
Andy Murray is out of next month’s Australian Open here we look at the timeline of Murray’s injury troubles since 2017.
-
News
Andy Murray ‘gutted’ as he shelves plans to play at Australian Open
Murray has been unable to solve a quarantine conundrum.
-
Australian Open
‘Really unjustified’ – Boris Becker leaps to Novak Djokovic’s defence over his quarantine pleas
Boris Becker believes world No.1 Novak Djokovic has come in for unfair criticism after writing a letter to Australian Open chiefs.
-
Tennis News
Umpire suffers heart attack as another Australian Open player tests positive for Covid-19
Spanish player Paula Badosa has announced she has tested positive for coronavirus during quarantine in Australia.
-
News
Laura Robson unsure about tennis future after third hip operation
The 27-year-old said her priority now is to live a pain-free life.
-
Australian Open
Andy Murray believes he can still play at the Australian Open as he plots return to action
Former world No.1 Andy Murray is still hopeful of playing in next month’s Australian Open.
-
Australian Open
Players are urged not to feed the mice in their hotel rooms as Heather Watson turns to Tik Tok
Britain’s Heather Watson has turned to Tik…
-
News
On this day in 2014: Stan Wawrinka ends Novak Djokovic’s Australian Open run
The Swiss won a five-set epic to deny Djokovic a piece of history.
-
News
Novak Djokovic hits back at allegations of being ‘selfish, difficult and ungrateful’
Djokovic says he finds it tough to be ‘a mere onlooker’.