Top seed Novak Djokovic reached the quarter-finals of the BA-CA Trophy on Thursday, comfortably beating Czech Tomas Zib 6-4, 6-4.
It was a routine victory. The only surprise was that after breaking to love in the opening game, the Serb immediately dropped his own serve in similar fashion.
But then his big forehand did the damage that was expected of it, and although Zib competed well he never presented any danger to Djokovic's progress.
Zib netted a backhand to give Djokovic a further break for 3-2, and Djokovic forced a forehand error to break at the same stage in the second set before closing out the match with his seventh ace.
"I played as much as I needed to play to win and I'm happy I didn't lose too much energy so I can save it for upcoming matches," Djokovic said.
Feliciano Lopez has never failed to reach the quarter-finals in Vienna in his three previous appearances, and he did so again with a difficult victory over Austria's Stefan Koubek.
The Spaniard, who claimed the title in 2004, won 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
A break for 1-0, after Koubek held a game point, was enough to give Lopez the opening set, and an early break also decided the second after Koubek broke to lead 2-0 when Lopez hit a double-fault.
In the deciding set, Lopez fought off a break point in the first game, and eventually claimed victory on his fourth match point by breaking Koubek in the final game.
Seventh seed Juan Ignacio Chela reached his 10th quarter-final of the season, beating Austrian Jurgen Melzer 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
David Nalbandian's disappointing season continued as he was defeated 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 by Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka.
James Blake and Jarkko Nieminen set up a quarter-final repeat of last year's final at the Stockholm Open with victories on Thursday.
Nieminen struck first with a 6-0, 6-4 thrashing of Australian Peter Luczak in Thursday's second round.
Blake then comfortably beat 22-year-old Canadian Frank Dancevic 6-3, 6-2.
Blake, who now stands 12-0 at the venue, broke for 5-3 on the way to claiming the opening set, then repeated twice in the second to advance in less than an hour.
Croatian Mario Ancic crushed Swede Bjorn Rehnquist 6-1, 6-3, for a place in the last eight at his first event since a trial fitness run in August on the ATP.
Thomas Johansson is the last home hope after beating Michael Llodra 6-4, 7-6 (12/10).
Croatian Ivo Karlovic won without firing a shot as Swede Joachim Johansson was unable to play due to illness. Arnaud Clement beat Michael Ryderstedt 7-6 (7/2), 3-6, 6-3.
Santiago Castro on Tuesday had an immediate impact off the bench as he scored the goal to send Bologna into the Coppa Italia semi-finals for the first time in 26 years. Bologna won 1-0 against last year’s runners-up, Atalanta BC, and are to play either holders Juventus or Empoli in the final four. Juventus are to host Empoli in their quarter-final on Feb. 26. The last time Bologna reached the semi-finals was in 1999, when they lost 4-2 to ACF Fiorentina. There were chances for both sides in a high-tempo match in Bergamo, but it was Bologna who broke the deadlock 10 minutes from
The former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani on Thursday was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for bank and tax fraud after he stole nearly US$17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player’s bank account. Ippei Mizuhara, who was supposed to bridge the gap between the Japanese athlete and his English-speaking teammates and fans, was sentenced in federal court in Santa Ana to four years and nine months after pleading guilty last year. He was ordered to pay US$18 million in restitution, with nearly US$17 million going to Ohtani and the remainder to the US Internal Revenue Service. He was
The 40-year-old LeBron James on Thursday became the oldest player to score 40 points in an NBA game, putting up a season-high 42 in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 120-112 victory over the Golden State Warriors. James passed the record held by Michael Jordan, his idol and the only other NBA player to score 40 after his 40th birthday. “I’m old, that’s my take,” James said when asked about his latest achievement. “I need a glass of wine and some sleep, that’s what I think.” Jordan did it for the Washington Wizards just three days after turning 40 in February 2003. James is 38
SPEEDSKATER: Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s run at the Asian Winter Games without a medal since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990 Speedskater Chen Ying-chu yesterday made history as the first athlete representing Taiwan to secure a medal at the Asian Winter Games. Competing at the HIC Speedskating Oval in Harbin, China, Chen clocked 10.510 seconds in the women’s 100m event, finishing third behind South Koreans Lee Na-hyum and Kim Min-sun, who posted times of 10.501 and 10.505 seconds respectively. Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s drought at the Asian Winter Games since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990. This year’s Games mark Chen’s debut at the event. Previously excelling in roller speedskating, she won six medals at world championships before transitioning