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SPORTS Saturday 18 auguSt 2018
Federer, Djokovic, Halep win

rain-delayed matches, reach QFs

By JOE KAY He finished off the defend- leigh Barty 7-5, 6-4 to reach
AP Sports Writer ing champion 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, the quarterfinals. Halep has
MASON, Ohio (AP) — Rog- maintaining his hopes of a faced the most challeng-
er Federer, Novak Djokovic first Cincinnati title. es from the rain, with one
and Simona Halep made Dimitrov didn't drop a set match suspended over-
quick work of their rain-de- last year while winning his night Wednesday in the
layed matches Friday after- first Masters title in Cincin- third set and then her third-
noon and advanced to the nati. He also won his first round match held over for
quarterfinals of the Western two matches this week in a day as well.
& Southern Open, facing straight sets, a streak that Barty, who lost to Halep
the daunting challenge of was broken by Djokovic in last week's Rogers Cup
playing a few hours later on Thursday night before semifinals in Montreal,
in extremely humid condi- the rains came and the committed 32 unforced er-
tions. match was suspended with rors to Halep's 17. Halep is
Several days of rain turned Djokovic up 2-1. seeking her first Cincinnati
the quarterfinals into an "I wish it didn't rain, for sure, championship after losing
endurance test. Six men's last night," Dimitrov said. in the finals last year and
and three women's singles "I just thought that even 2015.q
matches were held over though I lost that second
from Thursday because of set, I was feeling well on the
rain. court.
Federer — the top player "Today is a completely dif-
left in the men's bracket ferent day. The conditions
after No. 1 Rafael Nadal are a little bit different. So
withdrew to get some rest yeah, everything came
— needed only 72 minutes into play."
to beat Leonardo Mayer With each win, Djokovic
6-1, 7-6 (6), leaving him on gets closer to the chance
course for yet another Cin- he covets — another ap-
cinnati title. He's won a re- pearance in the title
cord seven despite missing match. He's never won at
the tournament the last two Cincinnati, going 0-5 in title
years because of injury. matches. It's the only ATP
Then, it was off for a little Masters 1000 event that
rest before an evening has eluded him.
match against fellow Swiss Djokovic acknowledges he
player Stan Wawrinka, who would especially enjoy win-
advanced with a 6-4, 6-4 ning the title, which would
win over Marton Fucsovics. make him the only player
"Waiting around all day to win all nine ATP Masters
and hardly seeing any ten- events.
nis obviously is never fun Also Friday, Juan Martin del
for the tournament and Potro and Nick Kyrgios split
the fans," Federer said. "So two tiebreakers before Del
we're happy that the tour- Potro prevailed in the third
nament is back underway. set for a 7-6 (4), 6-7 (6), 6-2
Today I tried to really focus win. Del Potro will face Da-
on just the one match, not vid Goffin, who upset Kevin
thinking that there is possi- Anderson 6-2, 6-4 to reach
bly going to be two." the Cincinnati quarterfinals
Djokovic's match against for the first time in three
Grigor Dimitrov was sus- tries.
pended at the start of the On the women's side, No.
third set on Thursday night. 1 Simona Halep beat Ash-