Novak Djokovic delighted to see off ‘quality player’ Pablo Carreno Busta

It looked like a walk in the park, but Novak Djokovic insists his win over Pablo Carreno Busta was a lot tougher than the scoreboard suggested.
World No 1 Djokovic reached the quarter-final of the Cincinnati Masters with a 6-3, 6-4 win over the Spaniard in a clash that lasted under 90 minutes.
The Serb broke once in both sets, but he also had to save a couple of break points on his own serve in the second set.
Novak to the nines… ??@DjokerNole wins his 9?th straight match, defeating Pablo Carreno Busta 6-3 6-4 at #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/WRqJpbZCPi
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 16, 2019
“I’m very pleased with the performance today because I played against a very great, quality player tonight,” Djokovic said.
“I don’t think the score indicates how tough it was on the court. We battled it out. I think I was serving really well. That was probably the best shot in the game tonight for me, over 70 per cent of first serves in. Got me out of trouble in the second set when I was facing break points,” Djokovic said.
“I thought he was very solid. Played against him a couple of times and have seen him play, and I knew what quality he possesses, but he did surprise me with his aggressiveness from the back of the court. As soon as he got a little bit of a softer ball from my side, he went for it from both forehand and backhand flat coming in.”
The 16-time Grand Slam champion will face Lucas Pouille in the quarters after the Frenchman beat eighth seed Karen Khachanov of Russia 6-7(3) 6-4 6-2.
Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut beat Miomir Kecmanovic 6-1, 6-2 to set up a clash against Frenchman Richard Gasquet, who ousted Argentine Diego Schwartzman 7-6 (7-6), 6-3 while the other quarter-final will see Belgium’s David Goffin up against Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka.
Meanwhile, Roger Federer’s conqueror Andrey Rublev will face fellow Russian Daniil Medvedev, who beat German Jan-Lennard Struff 6-2, 6-1.
Follow us on Twitter @T365Official and like our Facebook page.
Latest
-
French Open
Former French Open finalist Marketa Vondrousova out of Roland Garros after undergoing ‘small surgery’
Marketa Vondrousova withdraws from French Open.
-
Wimbledon
Explainer – Why Wimbledon’s Russian and Belarusian ban has caused a crisis at the heart of tennis
The decision from Wimbledon and the LTA to ban Russian and Belarusian players has divided opinion.
-
Tennis News
Stefanos Tsitsipas praises ‘great champion’ Novak Djokovic: ‘He’s like a Formula 1 car’
Stefanos Tsitsipas lavish in his praise of Novak Djokovic.
-
Tennis News
Carlos Alcaraz on his big goal: ‘I am clear about my dream, which is to be No 1 in the world’
Carlos Alcaraz dreams of becoming world No 1 and he’s not shy of saying it in public.
-
Tennis News
Emma Raducanu on rotating coaches: ‘People might look at me like I’m crazy but I trust my decision-making’
Emma Raducanu trusting her own process.
-
WTA Tour
WTA calendar update: Guadalajara to host WTA 1000 event as China remains absent from schedule
Changes to the 2022 WTA calendar.
-
French Open
Iga Swiatek hailed as ‘the boss’ as French Open chief Amelie Mauresmo praises ‘new era’ in women’s tennis
Iga Swiatek steering women’s tennis into a new era.
-
French Open
French Open news: Home hopes dented with Gael Monfils withdrawal
French No 1 Gael Monfils has withdrawn from the Lyon Open and Roland Garros.
-
News
ATP finally make a decision on Queen’s and Eastbourne – but Wimbledon are still waiting
Russian and Belarusian players were last month banned from competing at Wimbledon.
-
ATP Tour
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga’s Lyon farewell ends in heartbreaking first round loss
It ends early for Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Lyon.