MIAMI: Novak Djokovic benefited from an erroneous call and claimed he did not realise he had broken the rules. When Andy Murray walked to the net and challenged him about it, Djokovic responded with a shrug and a sheepish smile.
Murray lost the dispute, and the match. The pivotal ruling against the defending champion helped Djokovic win 7-5, 6-3 in the quarterfinals of the Sony Open on Wednesday.
Roger Federer was up a service break twice in the second set but lost to No. 20-seeded Kei Nishikori 3-6, 7-5, 6-4. Nishikori will play Djokovic on Friday.
The point that aggravated Murray occurred at the start of the 12th game, when he was serving at 5-6. Djokovic charged forward to volley a short ball and hit it for a winner.
Murray argued – and replays confirmed – he should have be awarded the point because Djokovic’s racquet was on the far side of the net when he hit the ball.
”Look, it might be my mistake,” Djokovic said. ”I think I crossed the net with the racquet. I didn’t touch the net. Maybe the rule is that you are not allowed to pass on his side with the racquet. I’m not sure. You tell me.”
That is indeed the rule. Djokovic said that if he had understood it, he would have conceded the point.
A flustered Murray committed unforced backhand errors on the next three points to lose the set.
Li Na became the first Chinese woman to reach the Key Biscayne semifinals when she beat Caroline Wozniacki 7-5, 7-5. Li’s next opponent will be Dominika Cibulkova, who erased three match points in the second set and beat Agnieszka Radwanska 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3.
In a women’s doubles quarterfinal, Sania Mirza and Cara Black beat Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik 6-4, 6-3. (AP)