• Madrid Open

Djokovic breaks down Wawrinka to advance

Novak Djokovic was made to work for his victory © Getty Images

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Novak Djokovic had to fight hard before eventually grinding down Stanislas Wawrinka and sealing his passage into the last eight of the Madrid Open.

The world No. 1, who has voiced his unhappiness with the blue clay, was pushed hard by a determined Wawrinka before eventually winning through 7-6(5) 6-4 to secure a place in the quarter-finals for a fifth time.

The first set was a tight affair, with both players' serving virtually impenetrable. It was not until 4-4 30-15 that either man lost a point on their first serve, with Djokovic spraying a backhand wide.

There was drama in game 10, however, as Djokovic raised his level to put the heat on the unseeded Swiss. Wawrinka went long with a volley to hand Djokovic an opeing at 0-30, before a double fault handed the Serb three set points. Wawrinka saved all three but strayed into the trams to give his opponent a fourth break point of the game, which went begging after a punishing rally ended with Djokovic firing a return out.

A fifth opportunity arrived and again Djokovic could not take the set, Wawrinka eventually holding serve in a game lasting over eight minutes. A tiebreak ensued, with Wawrinka making an unforced error to hand the world No. 1 a mini break. Wawrinka fought back but a failed drop shot handed the initiative back to the top seed and after, out-manoeuvring his opponent to bring up a sixth set point - a first on his own serve - Djokovic slammed a forehand winner to seal the set.

Djokovic then seemingly took a stranglehold of the match when breaking for 2-1 at the beginning of the second set, with an irate Wawrinka taking his frustrations out on his racket at the end of the game.

As Wawrinka ran out of steam, Djokovic slipped through the gears to break again. However, leading 5-2, Djokovic lost concentration temporarily to hand one of the breaks back. Wawrinka kept his hopes alive by holding to force Djokovic to serve out the match, which he duly did to complete a hard-earned victory.

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