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Novak Djokovic’s run of 17 successive Tour finals came to a grinding halt when he was forced out of the Dubai Open on Thursday.
The World No 1 was playing his quarter-final against Feliciano Lopez and was a set down (3-6) when an eye problem rendered it difficult for him to go any further in the match and he had to retire.
The top-ranked Serb had recorded his 700th career win when he defeated Malek Jaziri 6-1, 6-2 to reach the quarter-finals of the Dubai Open on Wednesday.
Spaniard Lopez will now face Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis in the semi-finals.
Image: Serbia's Novak Djokovic receives medical attention on court during his Dubai Open quarter-final against Spain's Feliciano Lopez at the Dubai Duty Free Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Thursday
Photograph: Warren Little/Getty Images