Saudi defense minister meets US secretary of state, national security advisor in Washington    Toney strikes twice as Al-Ahli thrashes Al-Qadsiah to close in on top four    Al-Hilal back to winning ways with dominant 5-1 victory over Al-Kholood    Al-Ittihad's Steven Bergwijn sidelined after home injury    Mitrović's prolonged absence raises concerns as Al Hilal coach admits worries over striker's injury    Makkah deputy emir inaugurates 70 E-Gates at Jeddah airport    Saudi Central Bank clarifies liabilities for foreign multibranch entities under new regulations SAMA issues regulations on close-out netting and collateral arrangements    Saudi non-oil exports jump 18% in December 2024    SFDA: Voluntary product recalls don't exempt companies from liability    'People will starve' because of US aid cut to Sudan    Secret Service agent who leapt onto JFK's car during assassination dies at 93    Saudi Heritage Commission begins documenting ancient stone structures in Hail    Saudi, US defense ministers hold extensive bilateral talks in Washington Prince Khalid: We live in a turbulent region; our cooperation is vital to ensure stability    Arcapita strengthens its Board of Directors with two new appointments    Hamas says no Gaza ceasefire talks unless Israel releases prisoners    Starbucks axes 1,100 jobs in bid for US turnaround    US sides with Russia in UN resolutions on Ukraine    Fear of being forgotten    'Neighbors' canceled again, two years after revival    Proper diet and healthy eating key to enjoying Ramadan fast    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    









Djokovic in semis beating Berdych
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 10 - 11 - 2012

LONDON — Novak Djokovic completed a 100 percent round-robin record at the ATP World Tour Finals with a 6-2, 7-6 defeat of Czech Tomas Berdych Friday booking his place in the semifinals.
The Serb followed his defeats of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Andy Murray with another clinical performance in front of a 17,000 sell-out crowd at the O2 Arena guaranteeing top spot in Group A.
World No. 3 Murray will join Djokovic in the semifinals as long as the Briton avoids losing to Tsonga in straight sets in the late match.
Berdych, who led 6-3 in the second set tiebreak, is eliminated.
Djokovic, who will end a second successive year at the top of the rankings, dominated the opening set against an opponent he had beaten in 10 of their previous 11 meetings, breaking serve twice.
He also broke early in the second set but Berdych hit back immediately and pushed the Serb all the way thereafter.
The Czech suddenly began to force his opponent out of position with some ferocious baseline hitting.
Djokovic was made to sweat to hold serve at 5-6 and when Berdych thundered down an ace to earn three set points in the tiebreak a decider looked imminent.The Serb then showed his mettle again, winning the next two points before benefitting from a poor Berdych error to level it at 6-6.
Djokovic completed victory on his first match point when his opponent ballooned a forehand long after one hour 37 minutes.
The ATP Finals is the last tournament of the season, and only for the top eight players in the world. In Group B, six-time champion Roger Federer has already qualified for the semifinals and will face Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro in his final group match Saturday. David Ferrer is also in the group and can still qualify for the semifinals, but Janko Tipsarevic has been eliminated.
On Thursday, Del Potro crushed Serbian eighth seed Janko Tipsarevic 6-0, 6-4 to keep alive his hopes of securing a place in the semifinals.
After both players lost their opening Group B matches, this clash at London's O2 Arena had become a must-win encounter and it was former US Open champion del Potro who seized his chance to avoid an early exit with a brutal display of power hitting.
Del Potro, seeded sixth, has lost just twice indoors in 2012 and he blew Tipsarevic off the court in just one hour and 16 minutes.
The Argentine still needs a win against Federer Saturday to reach the last four and even that may not be enough depending on the result of David Ferrer's meeting with Tipsarevic.
India's Leander Paes and his Czech partner Radek Stepanek, meanwhile, booked their place in the semifinals of the Finals after defeating Spanish duo Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez 7-5, 6-4 Thursday.
Paes and Stepanek, seeded third, are the first doubles pair to qualify from Group A after winning both their matches without dropping a set at London's O2 Arena.
Former doubles world No. 1 Paes has been runner-up on four occasions, in 1997, 1999 and 2000 with compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi, and then in 2005 with Serbia's Nenad Zimonjic. — Agencies


Clic here to read the story from its source.