Beijing, China (Sports Network) - Two-time champion Novak Djokovic was an easy
second-round winner, while Jo-Wilfried Tsonga advanced via walkover at the
$2.2 million China Open.
After shaking off the rust in his first match since losing to Andy Murray in
last month's U.S. Open final, Djokovic resembled his dominating form by
routing helpless Argentine Carlos Berlocq 6-1, 6-3 on the hardcourts at the
National Tennis Centre. The top-seeded Serbian star, who titled back-to-back
here in 2009 and 2010, needed almost two hours to subdue German qualifier
Michael Berrer in three sets on Tuesday.
The Australian Open champion and French and U.S. Open runner-up Djokovic's
quarterfinal opponent will be veteran Austrian left-hander Jurgen Melzer. The
former world No. 8 advanced with a 7-6 (11-9), 2-6, 6-1 upset of sixth-seeded
Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov, who fired 13 aces and managed to save 9-of-11
break points in a losing effort.
The third-seeded Tsonga was scheduled to face former world No. 3 Nikolay
Davydenko on Thursday, but the Russian veteran pulled out of the draw
Wednesday, citing a toe injury, as Tsonga received a walkover into the
quarters.
One other second-round match saw German Florian Mayer rally past Romanian
wild card Marius Copil 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
The 2012 Beijing champion will earn $530,570.
The Sports Network