Djokovic to face Zverev in semifinals at Asian Tennis Circuit

Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates after defeating Marco Cecchinato of Italy in their men’s singles third round match at the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament on October 11, 2018. (Photo by Johannes EISELE / AFP)

Novak Djokovic of Serbia defeated South Africa’s Kevin Anderson to reach the semifinals and will face Germany’s Alexander Zverev who dismissed Britain’s Kyle Edmund 6/4; 6/4.

Borna Coric of Croatia defeated Australia’s Matthew Ebden, 7/5; 6/4 and will meet the winner of the Federer-Nishikori quarterfinal match.

The Djokovic match was a matter of career record with Anderson.

The South African won their first ever match at the Miami Masters in 2008 with the close scores of 7/6(1); 3/6; 6/4 but the Serbian has won all their subsequent encounters, including three times in Wimbledon including the finals this year.

With the victory in Shanghai, Djokovic now leads 7-1 in match-ups. Zverev also extended his career record over Kyle Edmund to 4-0.

Their first face-off was in Nice France in 2016 when Edmund won the first set 7/5 but retired after losing the second by the same score. Since then, the German has not lost a set to the Briton.

Borna Coric won the first set 7/5 and secured a break of serve to lead 4-3 in the second.

At the changeover, he called for on-court medical evaluation and resumed the match. He lost the first point, but leveled and reached game point all on second serves.

He clinched the game with the only first serve for a 5-3 lead. The Aussie registered four straight serves and closed the game with his ninth ace of the match.

Serving for the set, Coric won the frist point on a second serve, lost the second but leveled and reached match point which he clinched on a first serve. The strength of his second serve saw him through.

The world number 19 is seeded 13 and will face the winner of the match between top seeded Roger Federer and Kei Nishikori.