Djokovic in cruise control, Pliskova makes early exit
The 22-time Slam winner quells a late fight from 24-year-old Kovacevic before hitting his usual level in first-round match
MUMBAI: Eighteen years after watching an 18-year-old Novak Djokovic as a spectator on one of the outer courts of Flushing Meadows at the 2005 US Open, Aleksandar Kovacevic found himself in the middle of Roland Garros’ showpiece court, this time standing across the net with the 22-time Grand Slam champion.
The American’s fanboyturned-competitor day out in the Paris summer lasted a little under two-and-a-half hours, in which he did cause a few problems for Djokovic but not nearly enough to cause any alarm. Djokovic came out a 6-3, 6-2, 7-6(1) winner in his first round of the French Open in Court PhilippeChatrier.
The two-time Roland Garros champion lost his serve a few times and quelled a late fight from the 24-year-old Grand Slam debutant but restored his level just in time in the third-set tiebreaker in which he gave the American just one point. “I’m very motivated to stay in this tournament for a long time, it’s just the start now,” said Djokovic, speaking in French for his on-court interview. “I’m happy. I’ve started well and hope I can improve further for the next match.” The 36-year-old will take on Hungarian Marton Fucsovics in the second round.
Djokovic came into the match
with some concerns about his fitness after an elbow injury troubled him during the clay season. However, he showed little signs of trouble while also being largely clinical in his opening test. Djokovic finished with 41 winners, including 10 aces, and won an impressive 73 per cent of the 26 points coming into the net.
Kovacevic, ranked 114 in the world, caused Djokovic a few headaches especially with his single-handed backhand but wasn’t consistent enough with it. The Serb got the first break in the sixth game of the first set, which was enough for him to run away with it as well as the second set.
Djokovic kicked off the third set with a break to love before his serve was put under pressure in
the next game. Djokovic saved three break points there, but his serve again faltered in the sixth game as Kovacevic levelled the set at 3-3. Kovacevic though lost his serve immediately again. With an opportunity to serve out for the match, Djokovic unusually dropped his guard and allowed Kovacevic to come back again. Not for long, however, as the tiebreaker was all one-way traffic.
Auger-Aliassime exits
In the first big upset in the men’s draw, Canadian 10th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime crashed out of the opening round after a 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 defeat against seasoned Italian Fabio Fognini on Court Simonne Mathieu.
The 22-year-old revealed he was sick and wasn’t physically at his best for the Paris opener. Auger-Aliassime, who has now exited from the first round of the French Open in three of the last four outings, had pulled out of the Lyon quarter-final last week with a shoulder issue.
“I woke up this morning trying, I mean, it’s like I’ve been struggling with a few things,” he said after the defeat. “I tried to warm up. I tried to see the doctor, see what I could take, but after one set, just cramping and just can’t move anymore.”
Among other results, former French Open champion Stan Wawrinka came through a fiveset rollercoaster, beating Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-7(2), 1-6, 6-4.
Stephens makes a point
In the women’s draw, Sloane Stephens started proceedings on Philippe-Chatrier and made quite an impression and statement in her 6-0, 6-4 rout of twotime Grand Slam finalist Karolina Pliskova. American Stephens, the 2017 US Open, has enjoyed consistent success at the French Open, losing the 2018 final to Simona Halep and reaching two more quarter-finals. “This is my favourite court, so I’m super happy to be back,” Stephens said on court. Another French Open runner-up, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia, was equally dominant in her 6-2, 6-2 win over Linda Fruhvirtova.