Basel, Switzerland – World No. 1 star Novak Djokovic was round winner Thursday at the $1.72 million Swiss Indoors Basel tennis event.
The reigning U.S. Open, Wimbledon and Australian Open champion drilled Polish qualifier Lukasz Kubot 6-1, 6-2 in a brisk 55-minute affair at St. Jakobshalle. The Serbian star popped eight aces and did not allow even one- break point chance for Kubot on Day 4.
Djokovic was last year's Basel runner-up to hometown hero Roger Federer and upset the four-time champion Federer in the final here two years ago.
The high-flying Djokovic returned to action this week after being sidelined with a back injury since mid-September.
Up next for Djokovic will be 2005 Basel runner-up Marcos Baghdatis, who is also a former Aussie Open finalist.
Also on Thursday in Basel, Kazakhstan's Mikhail Kukushkin topped American qualifier James Blake 6-3, 6-4, German Florian Mayer mauled former top-five star Ivan Ljubicic 6-3, 6-1, and capable Japanese Kei Nishikori straight- setted Italian Andreas Seppi 6-3, 7-6 (7-4).
The 2011 Basel champion will collect $450,000.
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