By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, August 15, 2018
Novak Djokovic rallied past Adrian Mannarino, while Robin Haase upset third-seeded Alexander Zverev, 5-7, 6-4, 7-5.
Photo credit: Christopher Levy
A queasy Novak Djokovic took medication to soothe an upset stomach, then performed clinical dissection of a tricky Adrian Mannarino to keep his quest for a first Cincinnati title alive.
Beaten to the punch in the opening set, Djokovic called for the doctor at 5-2 in the second set, took a tablet for indigestion then rallied past Mannarino, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.
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It was Djokovic's fourth win in as many meetings with the French left-hander and it didn't come easy.
"Credit to him, he played very well in the first set," Djokovic told Tennis Channel's Leif Shiras afterward. "From my side, I haven't really felt great for a set-and-a-half, struggling to really move around the court and then take the ball early. He used it. He used it well.
"After the doctor visit, I only lost one game. So whatever he gave me worked out well."
Alexander Zverev succumbed to a persistent pain in the neck.
Dutch veteran Robin Haase extended Zverev's Cincinnati misery tour, toppling the third-seeded German, 5-7, 6-4, 7-5, to reach the Western & Southern Open round of 16 for the first time.
Washington, DC champion Zverev dropped to 0-4 in the Queen City.
The 31-year-old Haase beat Zverev for the second time in a row after suffering a humbling blow-out loss to a then 17-year-old Zverev in their first clash at the 2014 Hamburg.
Memories of that stinging defeat inspired urgency in the world No. 55 today.
"The first time he literally kicked my ass. I lost 2-0 or 0-2," Haase said. "That was the tournament where he actually came up. And, yeah, since then he's come a long way.
"We played at the Australian Open where he completely destroyed me again for one-and-a-half sets, but then I managed to turn it around, and maybe in the end I should have won that match but I lost it mentally. And now I was there twice physically, mentally, and game-wise I was there. And we have to be a little bit lucky, as well, against these top guys."
Haase, who rallied for his first career Cincinnati win over Filip Krajinovic on Tuesday, fought off nine of 14 break points, including eight of nine in the final set today.
"I think I played well," Haase said. "Today my returns I think were really, really good. I mean, I think the first serve he hit at me was 136, and I just hit it right back. I was good from my side."
Haase could play 13th-seeded Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta for a quarterfinal spot.
Five-time Cincinnati finalist Djokovic started slowly, moved sluggishly at times and was beaten in several longer rallies by a sharp Mannarino in the opening set.
An angled drop volley winner gave the world No. 28 break point in the seventh game. When Djokovic bashed a backhand into the middle of the net, the Frenchman had the first break and a 4-3 lead.
Bursting back from a love-30 hole, Mannarino reeled off four consecutive points backing up the break in the eighth game and stayed in control building a one-set lead.
Settling in to conditions on Grandstand court, Djokovic played with more patience and care breaking for a 2-0 second-set lead when Mannarino netted a forehand down the line.
While the Frenchman had good success curling his forehand crosscourt, Djokovic coaxed some errors when Mannarino tried to change direction down the line off the forehand.
Serving to confirm, Djokovic squandered a 40-15 lead. Working over the Serbian's two-hander, Mannarino poked a backhand down the line breaking back in the third game.
Moving up closer to the baseline to take his opponent's time away, Djokovic banged a backhand into the corner drawing an error to break for 3-1.
Holding a 5-2 second-set lead, Djokovic called for the doctor for treatment of an upset stomach.
That stomach-churning request proved to be the turning point.
Returning to court with a calmer stomach, Djokovic broke again on an errant Mannarino forehand forcing the final set.
By then, Djokovic was striking with more clarity and conviction.
Stamping his second straight break, Djokovic earned a 2-0 third-set lead then confirmed the break at love.
Pushing Mannarino back behind the baseline with heavy topspin, Djokovic jolted a deep drive drawing the error to break again for 4-0.
Mannarino bumped an easy drop shot into the tape to hand Djokovic match point. The Wimbledon winner closed in two hours, six minutes.
The Western & Southern Open is the only Masters 1000 title missing from Djokovic's impressive resume.
"I've been trying to win the Cincinnati tournament for over a decade," Djokovic said. "I've had five finals here and couldn't make it on that last hurdle. But I'll keep on trying. I'm still in the tournament and hopefully I can complete the Masters this year."
Continuing his quest for his first Cincinnati final in three years, the 13-time Grand Slam champion will paly either defending champion Grigor Dimitrov or Mischa Zverev for a quarterfinal spot.
Marin Cilic, who beat Djokovic in the Queen's Club final in June, came through a tough three setter.
The 2014 US Open champion conquered qualifier Marius Copl, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-4. The seventh-seeded Cilic will face Sam Querrey, his opponent in the 2017 Wimbledon semifinals, or Karen Khachanov, next.
David Goffin backed up his win over Toronto finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas, fighting past Frenchman Benoit Paire, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2. It was Goffin's second win in five meetings with Paire.
The 11th-seeded Belgian plays Wimbledon finalist Kevin Anderson next. Anderson smacked seven aces, won 35 of 37 first-serve points and denied the only break point he faced stopping Jeremy Chardy, 7-6 (6), 6-2.