ATP Doha: Stan Wawrinka, Tomas Berdych and Nikoloz Basilashvili advance
The 26-year-old Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili closed the 2018 season with 29 wins and two ATP 500 titles, standing on the verge of entering the top-20 and looking good to achieve that next week after reaching the quarter-final in Doha following a 6-3 6-4 win over Andrey Rublev in just 61 minutes. Nikoloz dominated with his first serve and despite two breaks he suffered the scoreboard was on his side almost all the time, creating four break chances and converting them all to bring the match home in style. Nikoloz held at love in the opening game and we saw five breaks in the next six games, three for Georgian who moved 5-1 up when Andrey sprayed a backhand error that cost him the service game for the third straight time.
Rublev saved one set point on the return in the following game and he pulled one break back to reduce the deficit before Basilashvili grabbed the set with a good hold in game nine for a 6-3 after 30 minutes. The Georgian blasted an ace to save a break point in the second game of the second set and he earned a break in game five to forge the crucial lead, serving well in the rest of the match and delivering three service winners in game 10 to enter the last eight. Returning from a left knee injury that required surgeries, the three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka won just 17 matches in 2018 and he is already looking much better at the start of the new season, beating Karen Khachanov and Nicolas Jarry for the place in the quarter-final in his first Doha appearance since 2007!
Wawrinka needed an hour and 27 minutes to topple the young Chilean 6-4 7-6, serving at only 49% but losing just 13 points in 11 service games to stay away from break points! Jarry gave his best to follow that pace in his service games but he suffered one break from six opportunities he offered to the Swiss, taking just seven points less than Stan but still hitting the exit door in straight sets. Wawrinka found the range right from the start, sailing through his service games and forcing a backhand error from Jarry to move 3-2 ahead. Serving to stay in the set at 3-5, Nicolas saved a set point with a volley winner but Stan secured another good hold in the 10th game for a 6-4 after 34 minutes. The Chilean repelled two break points in the seventh game of the second set to reach the tie break but Wawrinka was the more focused player there, scoring three mini-breaks and wrapping up the win with an ace in the 10th point to book the place in the last eight.
The 4th seed Marco Cecchinato had the easiest day in the office, advancing into the quarters after Guido Pella gave him a walkover and he is joined by the Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut who dismantled the compatriot Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-1 6-4 in 70 minutes. Playing against each other for the 15th time but the first since 2012, Tomas Berdych and Fernando Verdasco closed the day in Doha, with the Czech beating the fellow veteran 4-6 6-3 7-5 in two hours and 13 minutes for his first quarter-final since Stuttgart last year. Tomas faced just five break points, losing serve three times but managing to overcome that with a solid display on the return, creating 14 chances and converting four to cross the finish line first. Verdasco led 5-4 in the decider but Berdych stayed focused, delivering two easy holds and taking advantage of a loose service game from the Spaniard at 5-5 to create the pivotal advantage and celebrate the win in the following game.
Second round results:
[5]Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) vs Andrey Rublev (RUS) 6-3 6-4 Stan Wawrinka (SUI) vs Nicolas Jarry (CHI) 6-4 7-6(3) [7]Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) vs [Q]Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) 6-1 6-4 Dusan Lajovic (SRB) vs [Q]Ricardas Berankis (LTU) 7-6(4) 0-6 7-5 [4]Marco Cecchinato (ITA) vs Guido Pella (ARG) W/O Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA) vs [Q]Maximilian Marterer (GER) 6-3 6-7(6) 7-6(6) [WC]Tomas Berdych (CZE) vs [8]Fernando Verdasco (ESP) 4-6 6-3 7-5
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2ArhjmG
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