Earlier, Japan’s Kei Nishikori topped Rajeev Ram of the United States 6-3, 6-4 and Australia’s Bernard Tomic beat South Africa’s Kevin Anderson 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. Berdych has played six sets in his last two matches and has a chance to beat his third top-10 player this season.
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With his win, Djokovic improved his head-to-head record against Berdych to 25-2.
While Donaldson’s first serve was solid, he was made to pay for only putting 54 percent of his first serves in play, as Raonic ate up the Americans second serve, winning 19 of 28 points when Donaldson missed his first serve. It is well known, and Wawrinka had also made it clear that once he gets into the latter stages of a tournament he starts to feel much better and becomes more confident. Djokovic earned a second-set break for 2-1 and rode the margin to his eventual victory in a match which was well below his best level.
“I was moving really well and I stayed calm when he was really aggressive”, Wawrinka told Gilbert.
“I love to play when it’s crowded, and if the crowd is for the other one, it’s fine”, Monfils said about facing Raonic in Canada. Djokovic has lost just two matches since the Madrid Masters and doesn’t look like he’s letting go of the top spot in the world anytime soon. If Wawrinka can continue to maintain his intensity, and if he’s able to take care of his unforced errors, then the Swiss could be the first player to reach the final of the 2016 Rogers Cup. Fans cheered the kid ranked No. 147 in the world as he exited the court, too.
“For sure I’m not fresh, you know, like two weeks ago”. “Hopefully I can make it count this time around”. On the next point, Wawrinka’s shot ricocheted off the net cord and out of play, and his forehand error on the clinching point was truly untimely. “That’s it”, said Wawrinka with a smile. It can happen, you know.
“That’s not the most important shot – I was already quite down in the second set. It wasn’t easy for me to try to find any solution”.
The Canadian team of Daniel Nestor and Vasek Pospisil – who will be partners at the upcoming Rio Olympics – beat Radek Stepanek and Berdych of the Czech Republic 6-3, 7-6 (6), in the tournament’s doubles quarter-finals.
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Monfils outlasted Belgium’s David Goffin 7-6 (5), 2-6, 6-4, winning when Goffin put a backhand into the net at York University’s Aviva Centre.
