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Djokovic Not Looking Past Quarterfinals

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By HOWARD FENDRICH

The Associated Press

Published: June 2, 2008

PARIS - Novak Djokovic will leave the looking ahead to others. If he's to be believed, the No. 3-ranked Djokovic has more immediate concerns than a possible French Open semifinal against No. 2 Rafael Nadal or final against No. 1 Roger Federer.

First things first at Roland Garros for Djokovic: a quarterfinal against Ernests Gulbis, set up by three-set victories for both men Sunday. Never heard of Gulbis? Djokovic has. He knows the 19-year-old kid from Latvia quite well.

They go way back, having shared adventures on and off the court a few years ago at Coach Niki Pilic's tennis academy in Munich, Germany.

"He was destroying me in practices. I couldn't win a match. Practice? No chance," Djokovic said, then added with a wink and a smile: "So all the pressure's on him, OK? He's the favorite."

Actually, because their careers have followed completely divergent paths, Djokovic knows he must be considered the overwhelming pick in what will be his first professional meeting with Gulbis.

Djokovic - who beat No. 18 Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 Sunday - reached the U.S. Open final in September, then knocked off Federer en route to winning the Australian Open in January. He's reached the semifinals at four consecutive major championships, cementing his status as part of the trio of men head-and-shoulders above the rest.

"I'm ... a Grand Slam champion. Get a lot of respect and appreciation from the players," said Djokovic, who is 3-7 against Nadal, including exits from the past two French Opens. "It's a different approach. I have more confidence and I believe much more in myself."

And Gulbis? He came to Roland Garros with a 7-10 record this season and never had been past the fourth round at a Slam until beating Michael Llodra 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-3.

"I played better and better," said the 80th-ranked Gulbis, who eliminated No. 7 James Blake of Tampa in the second round.The three-time defending champion Nadal reached the quarterfinals by hammering out the most lopsided of his 25 consecutive French Open victories, 6-1, 6-0, 6-2 against No. 22 Fernando Verdasco.

On the women's side No. 2 Ana Ivanovic had the easiest time, putting together a 6-0, 6-0 victory against Petra Cetkovska, and was joined in the quarterfinals by No. 3 Jelena Jankovic, No. 10 Patty Schnyder and qualifier Carla Suarez Navarro.

The players responsible for the two biggest surprises of the tournament lost. Schnyder beat No. 27 Katarina Srebotnik, who eliminated Serena Williams, and Suarez Navarro beat No. 26 Flavia Pennetta, who eliminated Venus Williams.

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