Novak Djokovic's dominance of the Dubai Duty Free Championship was given a thorough examination by the admirably confrontational Sergiy Stakhovsky Wednesday, but the defending champion still managed to advance to the quarterfinals in straight sets. Djokovic has lifted the Dubai title on each of his past three visits and if he does so again he will emulate Roger Federer's record of four championship crowns. The Serbian is yet to win any ATP World Tour event four times, but he moved a step closer to that achievement with a 7-6(5), 6-3 victory over Stakhovsky. “The difference between the top players and maybe the lower-ranked players is actually those moments,” Djokovic said of his comeback. “And managing to keep your composure and cope with the pressure and just focus, have an extra focus, mental strength.” Roger Federer defeated Feliciano Lopez of Spain 7-5, 6-3 to join Djokovic in the quarterfinals. Andy Murray also reached the last eight with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Marco Chiudinelli of Switzerland, as did Mikhail Youzhny. The Russian downed out-of-form Mardy Fish of the United States 6-2, 7-6 (0). Federer broke the 15th-ranked Lopez in the final game to end a tight opening set. The second set was more routine, breaking the Spaniard to lead 5-3 and closing out the match with a volley winner from the net. Federer, who was beaten in the Dubai final last year by Djokovic, is going for his fifth title and second in 2012 after having won in Rotterdam, Netherlands. In a reprise of the 2007 final, Federer will next face Youzhny, whom he has never lost to in 11 meetings. Murray broke the 185th-ranked Chiudinelli early in the first set and moved him around the court with ease. The second set was closer as both players held serve for the first eight games. But Murray broke Chiudinelli to lead 5-4, winning the match with an unreturnable serve. Murray will play fifth-seeded Tomas Berdych, who beat Lukas Lacko of Slovakia 6-1, 6-2. In the late match, fourth-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat Lukas Rosol of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-4. He will play eighth-seeded Juan Martin del Potro, who beat Andrey Golubev of Kazakhstan 6-4, 6-2. Hsieh advances in Malaysia World number five and top seed Agnieszka Radwanska will have to wait another day to finish her first round match in the BMW Malaysian Open after rain again stopped play Wednesday. The Polish player, who won in Dubai last week, was leading Akgul Amanmuradova of Uzbekistan 6-2, 3-3 when rain interrupted play. The match had failed to get under way Tuesday due to heavy rain and lightning. Her likely quarterfinal opponent is Taiwan's Su-Wei Hsieh, who beat Casey Dellacqua 6-1, 7-5. Hsieh, who made it through from the qualifying round a day earlier, said she was a little surprised at the ease of her victory as she was suffering from jetlag after arriving in Malaysia from Dubai early Sunday. Dellacqua of Australia ranks 107th in the world, while Hsieh is 123rd in world rankings. Also through to the next round is fifth seed Petra Martic, who overcame a three-hour rain delay before finally taming Kurumi Nara of Japan 6-2, 3-6, 6-0.
