• Sony Ericsson Open

Djokovic wins again, Fish is US top dog

ESPN staff
March 30, 2011
Mardy Fish: 'I don't think I would ever feel like the No. 1' © Getty Images
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Novak Djokovic swatted aside Kevin Anderson to continue his unbeaten year and set up a Sony Ericsson Open semi-final with Mardy Fish, who took advantage of an under-par David Ferrer to overtake Andy Roddick as America's No. 1 player.

Djokovic's success in 2011 has come to be measured in how games he concedes rather than whether he wins his match, and on that scale world No. 40 Anderson did well to push Djokovic in the first set, earning three break points but failing to convert before Djokovic eventually claimed a 6-4 6-2 victory.

The second set was more of a formality for Djokovic, who has now won his first 23 matches this year. Djokovic had lost the pair's only previous meeting, which came in the same tournament three years ago.

Following his comfortable 7-5 6-2 victory, which took 82 minutes to complete, Fish has guaranteed that he will move above Roddick in the next rankings.

"With Andy and the career he's put together, it would be pretty tough to feel I was the No. 1 American," Fish said. "He's won so many more matches, so many more tournaments, so many more Davis Cup matches. So I don't think I would ever feel like the No. 1."

In truth, he was handed the opportunity on a plate by Ferrer, whose unreliable serve put him at a disadvantage from the very start. He coughed up three breaks, two of which came in the second frame.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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