Djokovic to play Dzumhur, Raonic halts Tsonga
Novak Djokovic hit form after a rocky start at the Paris Masters, but Jo-Wilfried Tsonga’s campaign was ended by Milos Raonic.
World number two Djokovic defeated Joao Sousa 7-5 6-1 and will now play Damir Dzumhur, while Marin Cilic saw off old foe Philipp Kohlschreiber.
Meanwhile, Tsonga was among several home hopefuls to suffer defeat, denying the fans a mouthwatering clash against a big name in the next round.
Karen Khachanov’s good fortune continued, playing lucky loser Matthew Ebden in Kyle Edmund’s absence before the Australian retired with injury.
DZUMHUR EARNS DJOKOVIC TEST
Bosnian star Dzumhur has the unenviable task of stopping in-form Djokovic in the last 16, the Wimbledon and US Open champion having won 19 straight matches in his bid for the year-end number one ranking.
Dzumhur produced perhaps the result of the day to remain in the draw as he defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas.
The Greek went down 6-3 6-3 and Djokovic might well be relieved by that result. Tsitsipas was the last player to beat the second seed at the Rogers Cup in August.
.@DjokerNole gives the @RolexPMasters crowd a reason to get on their feet with some unbelievable play, defeating Joao Sousa 7-5, 6-1 to reach R3.
Can anyone stop Novak this week?
: @TennisTV pic.twitter.com/rJfyBIZ3wm
— ATP World Tour (@ATPWorldTour) October 30, 2018
TSONGA DENIED FEDERER FACE-OFF
Tsonga would have been up against Roger Federer – a repeat of the 2011 final – in the next round had he progressed, but he just came up short against Raonic.
The Frenchman performed well at the end of a tough year, winning the first set tie-break, yet all three went the distance and Raonic just had too much at the last.
Although Gilles Simon defeated compatriot Lucas Pouille to get through, it was a tough day for the French players. Benoit Paire, Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Jeremy Chardy all crashed out.
Tuesday schmood…@tsonga7 #RolexParisMasters pic.twitter.com/aaPvzAU62h
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 30, 2018
CILIC GETS TO GRIPS WITH KOHLSCHREIBER
Cilic has endured a tough time of late, winning just one of four ATP World Tour matches between the US Open and this week’s Paris Masters.
And he may well have been concerned by the prospect of a meeting with Kohlschreiber on Tuesday, the German having won seven of the pair’s 11 prior meetings in a surprisingly one-sided rivalry.
But Cilic delivered. The Croatian broke in front midway through the first set and then dominated, running out a 6-3 6-4 winner.
