Novak Djokovic overcomes duel battle

Top seed Novak Djokovic came through two battles on a rain-soaked day at the Toronto Masters to move into the semi-finals. The world number two, who came up empty-handed last weekend at the London Olympics, is making the best of his return to the ATP as the last showcase player in the mix at the pre-US Open event. Djokovic will face off against compatriot Janko Tipsarevic, who dispatched Croatian Marin Cilic 6-2, 6-4 in a first match and then put out Spain’s Marcel Granollers 6-4, 6-4 in the quarter-finals. Djokovic needed almost two and a half hours to hold off tenacious Tommy Haas 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 as the 34-year-old German continued to roll back the years after playing three ATP finals since mid-June and winning a grass title over Roger Federer in Halle. Djokovic started his longest day by defeating American Sam Querrey 6-4, 6-4 in a match which lasted just 65 minutes but which was interrupted for two and a half hours by a rainstorm. “It’s tough for players and fans,” said the Serb. Rejuvenated Federer Swiss Roger Federer should be among the freshest of the seeds as the Olympic silver medallist begins play at top men’s seed at next week’s ATP-WTA Cincinnati Masters. The 17-time grand slam champion who turned 31 on Aug. 8 only three days after losing to Andy Murray in the London Olympic final, took a few days off at his family chalet to recharge before hitting the practise courts in the USA last in the week. The four-time champion won the Masters 1000 titles in 2005, 2007, and 2009-10 but suffered a quarter-final loss last year to Tomas Berdych. Federer will start after a bye against the winner from Finn Jarkko Nieminen and Russian Alex Bogomolov. The tournament has been plagued by injury pullouts, many a result of a jammed-up schedule made ever more demanding by the Olympics. From:Gulftoday