The National's Ahmed Rizvi and Jon Turner are at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships to bring you live reports from the ATP tournament. Check back for up-to-the-minute updates.
Lopez d Djokovic 6-3, Retired
Novak Djokovic’s unbeaten start to the year has come to an end after he retired from Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships quarter-final match against Feliciano Lopez.
The world No 1, playing his first tournament since winning his 11th grand slam at the Australian Open, did not look very comfortable on the court and, immediately after losing the first set 6-3, he walked up to the chair umpire to tell him about the retirement.
Djokovic is yet to comment on his withdrawal, but Lopez said at his post-match press conference the Serb had an eye infection.
Read also: Nick Kyrgios the real deal and making a big noise at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships
Wawrinka d Kohlschreiber 7-5, 6-1
Stan Wawrinka, the No 2 seed, is through to the semi-finals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships after a straight-sets win over Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber.
Wawrinka, the reigning French Open champion, defeated No 8 seed Kohlschreiber 7-5, 6-1 in one hour and 14 minutes to set up a blockbuster clash with Australian Nick Kyrgios.
An even first set saw both players twice lose serve before Wawrinka claimed the all-important break to win the opener.
The second set was a much more one-sided affair, and two breaks of serve earned Wawrinka his place in the last four.
It was a much improved performance from the Swiss world No 4 who had to battle through his first-round match against Sergiy Stakhovsky, and was again below his best in the second round against qualifier Thomas Fabbiano.
Baghdatis d Bautista Agut 7-5, 6-0
Marcos Baghdatis has knocked out No 4 seed Roberto Bautista Agut 7-5, 6-0 to book his place in the semi-final of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
The opening set went to serve until Baghdatis, the world No 57 from Cyprus, broke Bautista Agut at love for 5-4. But the Spaniard broke back immediately. A third consecutive break, however, allowed Baghdatis to move into the lead once again and he then managed to serve out for the set after squandering three set points.
Baghdatis then cruised through the second set in 29 minutes to book his place in the last four.
This will be his second semi-final appearance in Dubai. He lost to eventual champion Novak Djokovic in the 2010 semis.
The latest: Nick Kyrgios cruised into the last four of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, knocking out No 3 seed and two-time finalist Tomas Berdych 6-4, 6-4 in an hour 26 minutes.
Kyrgios, winner in Marseille last week, started the match with a break and then saved four break points to hold his serve in the second game and that was enough to decide the fate of the 45-minute first set.
The second set went to serve until the Australian broke Berdych for a 5-4 lead and then served out for the match, finishing with an ace.
This was the third meeting of the year between Berdych and Kyrgios. The Czech, the world No 7, won the first duel in the third round of the Australian Open, but Kyrgios beat him in the Marseille semis last week.
Match of the day
Tomas Berdych (CZE) [3] v Nick Kyrgios (AUS)
One of the best players in the world against perhaps the future best player in the world. Berdych and Kyrgios have played each other twice this season already, and the score sits at 1-1, with Berdych winning at the Australian Open and Kyrgios prevailing in Marseille last week. Both players boast similar styles, with big serves, huge groundstrokes and deadly forehands. This has the potential to be the match of the tournament.
Order of play
CENTRE COURT
From 3pm
Nick Kyrgios (AUS) v Tomas Berdych (CZE) [3]
Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) [4] v Marcos Baghdatis (CYP)
Not before 7pm
Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) [8] v Stan Wawrinka (SUI) [2]
Novak Djokovic (SRB) [1] v Feliciano Lopez (ESP) [6]
COURT 1
From 4pm
Simone Bolelli (ITA) / Andreas Seppi (ITA) v Jamie Murray (GBR) / Tommy Robredo (ESP)
Lukasz Kubot (POL / Marcin Matkowski (POL) v Daniel Nestor (CAN) / Radek Stepanek (CZE)
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport
