Qatar Open: Novak Djokovic downs evergreen Radek Stepanek to reach semis

Doha: Novak Djokovic eased through to his first semi-final of the season at the Qatar Open on Thursday and denied evergreen veteran Radek Stepanek the chance to make history.

Djokovic won 6-3, 6-3 in testing, blustery conditions to set up a semi-final against Spain`s Fernando Verdasco.

If the 38-year-old Stepanek had won he would have been the oldest player to have qualified for an ATP semi-final in almost 25 years, since a 40-year-old Jimmy Connors reached the last four in San Francisco in 1993.

"It`s exciting, you obviously want to start the year off in the best possible way, that`s three wins out of three," said Djokovic immediately afterwards.

"It`s always a great test in these kind of consition, it`s never easy for the players."

Djokovic, the defending champion in Doha, dominated throughout the 91-minute match.

He is on course to meet the man who took away his world number one spot at the end of last season, Andy Murray in Saturday`s final.

Murray was due on court later on Thursday against Spain`s Nicolas Almagro in another last-eight clash.

Earlier, Verdasco won through easily 6-2, 7-5, against another veteran, Ivo Karlovic.

The giant Croatian, 37, is currently ranked 20 in the world and is the oldest top 20 player since 43-year-old Ken Rosewall in 1978.

The semi-final line-up will be completed on Thursday when Tomas Berdych and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the number three and five seeds in Doha, face off.

And the night was not over for Stepanek, who rushed off court to play in the doubles` semi-finals with partner Vasek Pospisil.