Novak Djokovic eliminated Grigor Dimitrov at Paris Masters
Thursday 3 November 2016 22:58, UK
Novak Djokovic has moved a step closer to hanging onto his world No 1 status after beating Grigor Dimitrov in the Paris Masters third round on Thursday.
A 4-6 6-2 6-3 victory progressed Djokovic into Friday's quarter-finals - in order to concede his prized ranking he would have to lose before the final, and watch Andy Murray lift the trophy.
Djokovic, in the opposite half of the Paris Masters draw to world No 2 Murray, had already edged past Gilles Muller and delivered another gritty performance to oust Dimitrov.
Djokovic can expect an even sterner test in the quarter-final when he will play Marin Cilic, who advanced past the third round with a 6-3 7-6 win over eighth seed David Goffin.
Elsewhere on Thursday, fourth seed Milos Raonic defeated Pablo Cuevas, the 16th seed, 4-6 6-1 6-2 and next faces local favourite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. The Frenchman overcame a woeful start to down Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishokori 0-6 6-3 7-6 (7-3).
Unseeded American Jack Sock followed up his second-round win against Austrian sixth seed Dominic Thiem with a 6-2 3-6 7-5 victory against No 12 Richard Gasquet of France.
He will meet compatriot John Isner in the next round after the latter halted the run of German qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff, winning 6-4 6-7 (4-7) 6-3.
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