Djokovic and Murray through in Doha as oldies bow out

Reuters

Published Jan 05, 2017 05:41PM ET

Djokovic and Murray through in Doha as oldies bow out

(Reuters) - Ageless Czech Radek Stepanek's run at the Qatar Open was ended by defending champion Novak Djokovic on Thursday and fellow veteran Ivo Karlovic also bowed out at the quarter-final stage.

World number one Andy Murray, bidding for a third Doha title, joined Djokovic in the semi-final with a hard-earned victory over Spain's Nicolas Almagro, his 27th consecutive win.

Stepanek, at 38 the oldest player to reach an ATP quarter-final since Jimmy Connors in 1995, was no match for a clinical Djokovic, who made light of the breezy conditions with a straightforward 6-3 6-3 victory.

The 37-year-old Karlovic, the oldest top-20 player since Ken Rosewall in 1978, lost 6-2 7-5 to Spain's Fernando Verdasco.

Verdasco will face Djokovic for a place in the final.

Briton Murray beat Almagro for the fifth time in six matches but was never comfortable against the hard-hitting Spaniard before posting a 7-6(4) 7-5 victory.

Almagro threw everything at the 29-year-old, striking 32 winners to his opponent's 24, but Murray's defensive skills proved decisive in the end as he wore down the world number 44.