Djokovic overpowers Ancic

Novak Djokovic overcame Mario Ancic to reach the semi-finals of the Madrid Masters.

Third seed through after surviving tight first set

Novak Djokovic overcame Mario Ancic 7-6 6-2 to reach the semi-finals of the Madrid Masters. The world number three produced a powerful performance to see off his Croatian opponent and set up a meeting with either Rafael Nadal or David Nalbandian in the last four. Djokovic became the first player to take a set off Ancic this week when he took the opener on a tie-break. The 20-year-old Serb needed treatment for an injury to his left ankle after the breaker, but it did not appear to affect his rhythm.

Comfortable win

He twice broke Ancic's serve as he breezed through the second set to run out a comfortable winner. Defending champion and world number one Roger Federer takes on Spanish wild card Feliciano Lopez and last year's losing finalist Fernando Gonzalez meets Nicolas Kiefer in the other quarter-finals. Ancic is returning to form after missing six months of the season through illness and he immediately put Djokovic under pressure in the opening game. However, he failed to take any of the three break points he created and both players were strong on serve thereafter. Djokovic earned the decisive mini-break in the tie-break with a superbly executed lob and a sharp volley at the net clinched the set. He had to save three more break points in his opening service game in the second set before breaking Ancic in the third and fifth games to ease to victory.