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Djokovic marks return to No.1 with Paris Masters stroll

Paris: Novak Djokovic celebrated his return to the summit of world tennis with a stroll into the quarter-finals at the Paris Masters as outclassed Damir Dzumhur had to retire with injury in the second set of their third-round clash on Thursday.

The Serb, who learned on Wednesday that he would be back as world No.1 next week following Rafael Nadal's withdrawal from the tournament through injury, was leading 6-1, 2-1 when the Bosnian submitted to a back problem that had flared up in the first set.

Novak Djokovic will return to the summit of men's tennis next week.

Novak Djokovic will return to the summit of men's tennis next week.Credit:AP

Djokovic extended his winning streak to 20 straight matches and equalled a personal record of 29 consecutive completed sets won as he maintained the remarkable spell of form that has seen him rise from No.22 in June to the top of the game again.

After the match, Djokovic hailed his climb back to the top of men's tennis a "phenomenal achievement".

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The 14-time grand slam winner said on Thursday he was happy and proud to have reached the summit of the game for a fourth separate spell, but reckoned he had no time to properly reflect on it while he was seeking another triumph at the Paris Masters.

It marked the culmination of a dizzying ascent by the Serb, who won grand slams at Wimbledon and the US Open as well as Masters 1000 titles in Cincinnati and Shanghai in his dominant run in the second half of the year.

If he wins in Paris, he will equal Nadal's record of 33 Masters titles and he can also extend his record number of triumphs at the French capital's indoor event to five.

"Reflecting on what I've been through in the last year, it's quite a phenomenal achievement. And, of course, I'm very, very happy and proud about it," said Djokovic.

"I always believe in myself but, five months ago, if you'd told me I would be back to No.1 so quickly, it was highly improbable considering my ranking and the way I played and felt on the court. It's a great journey that I've had.

"But I haven't been really reflecting on that and I haven't been really focusing on that too much because it's the middle of the week.

"I guess it will be different when I finish this tournament and hopefully the year-end ranking stays the same."

Rafael Nadal is injured.

Rafael Nadal is injured.Credit:AP

The prized end-of-year No.1 accolade is one Djokovic has earned on four separate occasions, just like Nadal, who could still be back in London in less than a fortnight to challenge him again for the top spot at the end-of-season ATP finals.

"I'm obviously not happy to see Rafa being injured and pulling out from the tournament in this final race for top rankings," said Djokovic. "But it's not the end of the season, so I can't be too ecstatic about it."

On the court, Dzumhur suffered a tweak to his lower back when 4-1 down in the opening set.

Clearly in pain, he battled on in an 11-minute sixth game which eventually saw him broken for a second time and, though he continued after receiving physio treatment in a time-out and taking painkillers, there was no way back.

Djokovic, looking in much sharper form than his opening match against Joao Sousa, took the set in 39 minutes and, once he had earned an inevitable break for 2-1, consoled the Bosnian, who told him at the net that he was in no shape to continue.

Djokovic will face a much more challenging test in the last eight against Marin Cilic, who had earlier looked in strikingly good form when beating Grigor Dimitrov 7-6 (7-5), 6-4.

Cilic, who moved closer to securing one of the remaining places for the ATP finals in London, beat Djokovic here at the equivalent stage two years ago and also defeated him in the Queen's tournament final before Wimbledon.

"I am very close to London, to securing my spot mathematically," Cilic said. "Against Novak, it will be another big challenge. It's great to play him again."

John Isner's hopes of also making the London finals received a blow when he was beaten 6-4, 6-7 (7-9) 7-6 (8-6) in an absorbing, huge-serving battle by rising Russian Karen Khachanov.

The giant American saved four match points before the 22-year-old Khachanov, who had already staved off two himself, finally threaded a backhand winner past the net-rushing Isner to win after nearly two-and-a-half hours of massive hitting.

In the quarter-finals, Khachanov will meet Germany's fourth seed Alexander Zverev, who took 80 minutes to overpower and finally subdue the scurrying defiance of Argentina's Diego Schwartzman 6-4, 6-2.

Reuters

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