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2/23/11 7:57 PM | Ricky Dimon
Novak Djokovic needs three sets to get past Feliciano Lopez in the Dubai second round on Wednesday. Sergiy Stakhovsky also advances in three with a win over Ernests Gulbis.
(2) Novak Djokovic d. Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 2-6, 6-4
Djokovic, the two-time defending champion at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, came relatively close to suffering an early-round exit but fought off Lopez after one hour and 48 minutes of play on Wednesday. It was smooth sailing at the start for Djokovic, who lost only six points in five service games during the first set and needed just one break to take it.
Lopez, thought, staged a comeback in the second. The 41st-ranked Spaniard won all but four service points in four games and his second break of the evening at 5-2 forced a decisive set in style. Djokovic, however, came back mentally refreshed and broke immediately for a 1-0 lead. He gave it back with a poor game at 3-2 but recovered right away to regain the upper hand at 4-3. The world No. 3 served it out from there and advanced to a quarterfinal meeting with Florian Mayer when a Lopez backhand found the top of the net.
Sergiy Stakhovsky d. (8) Ernests Gulbis 6-3, 5-7, 6-1
Stakhovsky improved to a solid 8-5 on the season by defeating Gulbis in one hour and 57 minutes during second-round action on Wednesday. The Ukrainian came out firing and dropped only five points in his first five service games. He won an impressive 14 return points in the opening set and one break allowed him to serve it out at 5-3.
Gulbis battled back in the second and one break of serve each was exchanged en route to 5-5. The eighth-seeded Latvian, who saved eight of nine break points during the set, held for 6-5 then broke to force a third. Despite having all the momentum, Gulbis dropped served immediately in the final set and never recovered. Stakhovsky lost a mere four points on serve and added three more breaks at the expense of a reeling opponent to completely run away with the win. The world No. 43 recorded 11 aces and one double-fault, while Gulbis' slump continued with a ridiculous nine double-faults.
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