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Djokovic given a helping hand in Belgrade

Novak Djokovic is unbeaten in 2011 © Getty Images

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Novak Djokovic extended his unbeaten start to the season, but had a helping hand as he moved into the final of the Serbia Open in Belgrade.

The world No. 2 remains on course for a fifth straight title after he was handed a walkover following an injury to his opponent Janko Tipsarevic.

The Belgrade crowd will be disappointed to be denied an all-Serbian semi-final clash, but Djokovic, who is now 26-0 in 2011, will return to the court on Sunday in a bid to reclaim the title he won in 2009.

"Bad news. Janko had to pull out from tonight's semi-final match, because of a muscle injury," Djokovic wrote on his Facebook page. "I sincerely hope he will manage to recover for the rest of the clay-court season."

Djokovic, who eased to comfortable victories over Adrian Ungar and Blaz Kavcic in his previous rounds, will play Feliciano Lopez in Sunday's final after the Spaniard beat Filippo Volandri 7-6(3) 6-2.

At the Estoril Open, Fernando Verdasco came through two matches in one day after being forced to complete his quarter-final against seventh seed Kevin Anderson on Saturday. Heavy rain disrupted Friday's play in Portugal, and Verdasco found himself a set down when they were forced off the court.

But the second seed, who recently dropped out of the world's top ten, was on impressive form when play resumed, expending minimal effort as he racked up a 6-7(2) 6-2 6-3 victory. Verdasco set up a match with Milos Raonic, whose impressive start to 2011 continued with a hard-fought victory over Gilles Simon. But it appeared the efforts of the victory over Simon took their toll as the No. 5 seed retired after losing the first set 6-4.

Verdasco will take on Juan Martin Del Potro in the final after the Argentine secured a 6-2 7-6(6) win over Pablo Cuevas.

Meanwhile, at the BMW Open in Munich, Nikolay Davydenko reached his first ATP Tour final since January with victory over Radek Stepanek. Davydenko, who has struggled for form since being dumped out of the Australian Open first round, was two games from victory when Stepanek retired with a hamstring injury at 6-3 4-0.

The Russian will meet home favourite Florian Mayer in Sunday's final after the fifth seed triumphed 6-3 6-4 in an all-German semi-final against Philipp Petzschner.

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