Novak Djokovic sees off Stanislas Wawrinka in Cincinnati Open quarter

Wawrinka was then asked if he was happy with the way that Kyrgios, who lost his opening match in Cincinnati, had apologised for the incident.

Defending champion Roger Federer, third seed Andy Murray and eight seed Rafa Nadal are among the competitors in the final four matches in the round of 16 later on Thursday. Despite that though, an error-filled final two games from the Swiss halted any chance at a comeback as Djokovic took this match 6-4, 6-1. It’s the only one of the nine ATP Masters to elude him. “I wasn’t sure how I’d come back from vacation and training”. “I just had to do better”, Williams said.

Novak Dkojovic and Serena Williams reached the semifinals in Cincinnati, taking different ways to get there.

In the women’s competition, Serena Williams dominated Karin Knapp to claim her 45th win of the year. But these matches at the US Open just coming up are good for me physically and mentally.

Afterwards the four-time Cincinnati runner-up said: “It was the best performance I had so far this week”. Wawrinka pulled out a 6-7 (2), 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5) win after Ivo Karlovic double-faulted on match point, his second serve hitting the top of the net.

And the confrontation everyone wanted here before the players leave for New York was a rematch between Williams and Belinda Bencic, who put her out of the Rogers Cup in Toronto in the semi-finals last week, but earlier in the day retired with an arm injury that might yet jeopardise her US Open challenge. That did him in as the Serb was able to get plenty of looks on the Wawrinka second serve.

Djokovic’s service game provided a definitive edge as play progressed. “You know, those few points decided everything”.

Murray played a lot of long, draining matches during the last week.

“Physically it was tough to feel great”, Murray said. “I started slowly the last couple of days”. “I m happy to get through”. “That was the difference”. The lead was, however, swiftly evaporated as Dolgopolov broke back to love with the help of some sensational shots to force proceedings into a tie-break.

At that point, the 66th-ranked Dolgopolov – who also had on-court treatment to have his feet taped – was making Djokovic work to stay afloat. Holding at love for 4-all, Djokovic reeled off nine of the next 10 games to send the fifth seed packing for the 18th time in 22 meetings. A trainer checked his lower rib cage on his left side and his abdomen, and Djokovic went back out on court and took it to a tiebreaker.

The second set was much closer, going with serve to a tiebreak which the 34-year-old won.