PARIS — Novak Djokovic recovered from a slow start as he continued the bid to retain his world No. 1 ranking with a 4-6, 6-2 6-3 win over 14th-seeded Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov in the Paris Masters third round Thursday.
The Serb, needing to reach the final to stay ahead of Andy Murray at the top of the rankings, set up a quarterfinal clash with Croat Marin Cilic who clinched one of the two remaining spots for the ATP World Tour Finals with a 6-3, 7-6 (9) win over Belgian David Goffin.
Holder Djokovic, seeking a fifth title here, produced an under-par display. He had treatment on a knee problem in the second set but eventually subdued Dimitrov who grew frustrated as the match went on.
Canadian fourth seed Milos Raonic beat Uruguay's Pablo Cuevas 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 and next faces France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga or Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishikori.
Unseeded American Jack Sock followed up his second-round win against Austrian sixth seed Dominic Thiem with a 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 victory against No. 12 Richard Gasquet of France.
Djokovic, Murray, Stan Wawrinka, Raonic, Nishikori and Gael Monfils had already qualified for the Nov. 13-20 tournament.
Andy Murray labored past a determined Fernando Verdasco to reach the last 16 Wednesday and keep the pressure on Djokovic.
Murray is seeking to end Djokovic’s l22-week reign at the top, but the Briton was pushed to the limit by Verdasco in the French capital before prevailing 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 7-5.
Murray, a winner in Beijing, Shanghai and Vienna in his past three events, will continue his assault on Djokovic when he faces Lucas Pouille for a place in the quarterfinals.
Djokovic, the record four-time champion, marched into the third round with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Luxembourg’s Gilles Muller.
Zhang in semis
Chinese wild card Zhang Shuai’s fairytale season continued Thursday when she became the first player to reach the semifinals of the $2.2 million WTA Elite Trophy tournament.
On home turf in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai she beat Timea Babos of Hungary 7-6 (7/2), 6-4.
For years Zhang played in the shadow of Chinese Tennis heroine Li Na, and a poor 2015 season saw her slip down the rankings to 186 — her lowest position in seven years — and consider retirement.
But the 27-year-old began the year with a first-round upset of 2014 French Open finalist Simona Halep at the Australian Open — her first win in a Grand Slam main draw, which left her in tears — going on to reach the quarterfinals.
She has since climbed to 28 in the world rankings and was given a wild card into the Elite Trophy.
In the day’s other matches, Ukrainian fourth seed Elina Svitolina also secured a semi-final place with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Russia’s Elena Vesnina, and France’s Caroline Garcia beat Samantha Stosur of Australia 6-4, 6-3. — Agencies
