Dubai Open Highlights: Novak Djokovic brushes off Hubert Hurkacz challenge, storms into semifinals of Dubai Open 2023 – Watch Highlights

Dubai Open Highlights: Novak Djokovic stayed on course for his third title of 2023 by powering into the semi-finals of the Dubai Tennis Championships with a 6-3 7-5 win over Hubert Hurkacz on Thursday. With the win he has extended his win streak to 15 matches this year and has set up a semifinal clash with former World No.1 Daniil Medvedev. – Follow Dubai Open 2023 LIVE updates on InsideSport.IN 

Dubai Open Highlights: Novak Djokovic brushes off Hubert Hurkacz challenge, storms into semifinals of Dubai Open 2023 – Watch Highlights

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🙌🏼🙏🏼🎾❤️💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼 pic.twitter.com/iS9ouicwc5

— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) March 2, 2023

“It was a challenging match as it always is against Hubert. One of the best guys on the Tour, definitely,” Djokovic said in his on-court interview. “Fantastic personality. Very lovable guy, a great relationship with everyone. He’s always respectful. I wish him all the best for the rest of the season.”

Hurkacz threw everything in his deep arsenal at Djokovic on centre court. From winning a point after hitting a tweener in the early moments of the match to putting pressure on the Serbian by moving forward, the Pole tried to take the 35-year-old out of his comfort zone.

It was to no avail. Djokovic dominated on serve — he did not face a break point — and chipped away to earn opportunities until he broke through. The top seed converted two of his eight opportunities to advance after one hour and 21 minutes and take a 5-0 lead in the pair’s ATP Head2Head series.

Dubai Open Highlights: Novak Djokovic brushes off Hubert Hurkacz challenge, storms into semifinals of Dubai Open 2023 – Watch Highlights

Hurkacz was closest to breaking through at 5-4 in the second set, when he took a 0/30 advantage. But after Djokovic served his way out of trouble, he seized the match in the next game.

“I think he’s got one of the best serves in the game, so in the second set until that 11th game in the second set, I didn’t really have too many chances against his serve,” Djokovic said. “He was winning his service games comfortably. Fortunately for me, I also found the rhythm on my serve throughout the second set and held my serve.

“Love-30 at 5-4 for him, found a couple of good serves, good plays. Really one or two points can always decide [the winner] of matches like this. There’s not much that is separating both players. But I’m really, really glad with the way I played under pressure.”

Dubai Open Highlights: Novak Djokovic brushes off Hubert Hurkacz challenge, storms into semifinals of Dubai Open 2023 – Watch Highlights