Djokovic wins quarter-final in quickfire time

TOP-seeded Novak Djokovic needed only 53 minutes to win his quarter-final over Jurgen Melzer of Austria 6-1, 6-2 at the China Open.

Djokovic posted a dozen aces, and said: “The serve was great tonight. It’s one of the best serving matches I have had in my career.”

In today’s semi-final, Djokovic will take on Florian Mayer of Germany, who beat Chinese wild card Zhang Ze 6-3, 6-4.

In the other quarter-finals, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeated Mikhail Youzhny of Russia 6-3, 6-2, and Feliciano Lopez of Spain outlasted Sam Querrey of the US 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

In the women’s event, top-ranked Victoria Azarenka and No 2 Maria Sharapova advanced to the semi-finals as Azarenka defeated Romina Oprandi of Switzerland 6-2, 6-0, and Sharapova beat sixth-seeded Angelique Kerber when the German retired with a right foot injury while trailing 6-0, 3-0.

Marion Bartoli is next up for Azarenka after she beat Carla Suarez Navarro 6-0, 2-6, 6-4, while Li Na defeated Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4, 6-2 to set up a clash with Sharapova.