DJOKOVIC DOWNS POSPISIL IN DUBAI, FEDERER TO FACE VERDASCO ON WEDNESDAY

Written by: Staff on 24th February 2015

DJOKOVIC DOWNS POSPISIL IN DUBAI, FEDERER TO FACE VERDASCO ON WEDNESDAY

epa04635428 Novak Djokovic of Serbia in action against Vasek Pospisil of Canada during their first round match of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis ATP Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 24 February 2015. EPA/ALI HAIDER |

Djokovic downs Pospisil in Dubai, Federer to face Verdasco on Wednesday

By Ricky Dimon

Novak Djokovic kicked off his campaign at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Vasek Pospisil during first-round action on Tuesday. Playing for the first time since winning the Australian Open, Djokovic advanced in one hour and 18 minutes.

“I’m still looking for that rhythm on the court,” Djokovic admitted. “But I managed to stay mentally tough. I was patient in rallies, I thought. As soon as we get through the rally, I have a better chance of winning. He’s a very flashy player, aggressive, goes after his shots.”

Pospisil connected on some of those shots to snag a break early in the second set, but he was doomed by poor serving as the match progressed. The underdog Canadian put in a mere 46 percent of his first deliveries during set two.

Novak Djokovic of Serbia in action against Vasek Pospisil of Canada during their first round match of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis ATP Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 24 February 2015. EPA/ALI HAIDER

Vasek Pospisil of Canada in action against Novak Djokovic of Serbia during their first round match of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis ATP Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 24 February 2015. EPA/ALI HAIDER

“When his first-serve percentage dropped, I knew that [was] my chance. I won a lot of those second-serve points. I think that’s what decided the match, even though my serve wasn’t at the level where I wanted it to be today. So hopefully the next match can be better.”

Djokovic’s next assignment is a second-round encounter with Andrey Golubev, while Roger Federer will go up against Fernando Verdasco on Wednesday.

All five of their previous meetings between Federer and Verdasco have gone the way of the Swiss. Federer has prevailed three times on hard courts, including when they most recently squared off at the 2012 U.S. Open via a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 decision. He is 11-1 in total sets against Verdasco and he has required a tiebreaker in only one of those.

Roger Federer of Switzerland reacts after winning the match against Mikhail Youzhny of Russia during the first round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis ATP Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 23 February 2015. EPA/ALI HAIDER

A six-time champion in Dubai with a 43-5 lifetime record at the tournament, Federer cruised through his opener by beating Mikhail Youzhny 6-3, 6-1. The world No. 2 is now 7-1 for the season with a title in Brisbane. Verdasco joined Federer in the last 16 on Tuesday thanks to a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Guillermo Garcia-Lopez. The 31st-ranked Spaniard owns seven match wins in 2015 and has now advanced out of the first round in all five of his events.

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: Atp, Dubai, Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, Fernando Verdasco, Novak Djokovic, Ricky Dimon, Roger Federer, Tennis, Vasek Pospisil

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10sBalls_com says:

February 24, 2015 at 7:36 pm

-@DjokerNole DOWNS @VasekPospisil IN @DDFTennis, @rogerfederer TO FACE @FerVerdasco ON WEDNESDAY- http://t.co/HLquURw8eo #tennis #Dubai #ATP
dusanVemic says:

February 24, 2015 at 9:37 pm

RT @10sBalls_com: -@DjokerNole DOWNS @VasekPospisil IN @DDFTennis, @rogerfederer TO FACE @FerVerdasco ON WEDNESDAY- http://t.co/HLquURw8eo …
7PinkPanther7 says:

February 24, 2015 at 9:42 pm

RT @TennisNewsOne: DJOKOVIC DOWNS POSPISIL IN DUBAI, FEDERER TO FACE VERDASCO ON WEDNESDAY http://t.co/9BbAvoC2mF #tennis
ninak33 says:

February 24, 2015 at 9:52 pm

RT @10sBalls_com: -@DjokerNole DOWNS @VasekPospisil IN @DDFTennis, @rogerfederer TO FACE @FerVerdasco ON WEDNESDAY- http://t.co/HLquURw8eo …