The Serbian Novak Djokovic had to sweat a lot to beat the Canadian Vasek Pospisil, this Friday, in a duel valid for the quarter-finals of the ATP 250 in Tel Aviv. The No. 1 seed in the tournament and seventh in the world rankings took 1:54 to score 7/6 (7/5) and 6/3.
The first set was hotly contested and showed great reaction power from Pospisil. Without break of service, the dispute of the first part went to the tie-break. The Canadian came to lose by 1/5, but looked for equality. The last two points of the set belonged to Djokovic.
Pospisil didn’t give in and nearly broke Djokovic’s serve in the first game of the second set. The Serb prevailed, scored 3/0, but again felt the reaction of his rival, who drew 3/3. As he did in the first set, the Serb came back to pick up the pace and gave up no chances in the remaining three games for the No. 149 in the standings, closing the match.
For a place in the final of the Israeli tournament, Djokovic will face the Russian Roman Safiullin, who eliminated the French Arthur Rinderknech by 2 sets to 0, with partials of 6/4 and 6/1.
In the other semi-final, Croatian Marin Cilic will face Frenchman Constant Lestienne. Cilic didn’t even have to play, as Liam Broady didn’t enter the court and lost by WO. Lestienne fought well to beat the American Maxime Cressy, by 2 sets to 1, with partials of 6/7 (4/7), 6/3 and 7/6 (7/3).
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