China Open: Novak Djokovic beats Fernando Verdasco to make quarter-finals

Novak Djokovic had to fight it out for three sets to beat Fernando Verdasco and reach the quarter-finals of the China Open in Beijing.

Verdasco pushed the top seed all the way in the first two sets but ran out of steam as the Serbian ran out a 7-5 2-6 6-2 winner to make the last eight.Djokovic rattled off the first three games but Verdasco hit back and forced the world No 1 to grind it out, before then hitting top form in the second set.
Verdasco broke Djokovic twice in the second set, in the third and seventh game, to take it comfortably and set-up a final set decider.

It was Djokovic who made the fast start again though, jumping out to a 3-0 lead that enabled him to cruise to victory.

American Sam Querrey will be next up for Djokovic, after he knocked out sixth seed Stanislas Wawrinka 6-2 7-6.

Fifth seed Richard Gasquet also registered a straight-sets victory to reach the last eight, with the Frenchman beating Bernard Tomic 7-6 (7-2) 6-4.