Sports writing (EFE).- The Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic, leader of the ATP ranking, debuted with victory in the Monte Carlo tournament by beating the Russian Ivan Gakhov, 198 in the world, in two sets (7-6 and 6-2 ) after a duel where he grew in his game with falling points.
Due to his rival’s position in the ranking, the Serb’s first official match on clay in 2023 seemed destined to be a formality. However, the self-confidence of a more rolled Gakhov, after beating the previous one and already in the box the American Mackenzie McDonald, seemed to catch him by surprise.
Powerful with his forehand, the Russian dodged the initial nerves and was able to break for the first time in the fourth game. He had two balls for it but did not take advantage of any, the second of them after a long exchange of 22 shots. The same situation occurred on the other side immediately afterwards, but this time it was Djokovic who let the opportunity go.
The breaks were chewed and they arrived. Gakhov made it first and then the Balkan responded, who also solved his next blank serve to put pressure on his opponent (5-4). Far from shaking his hands for this one, he was 0-30 in the eleventh game. He failed to finish off and inertia took the decision of the first set to the tie break.
There he did not forgive the number 1 in the world, who missed two balls to close the initial set in his favor but finished it off in the third. This partial achievement made possible doubts change sides and, from that moment, everything began to turn upside down for him.
The second set between Djokovic and Gakhov
In the second set, Gakhov held on until 2-2. But in the search to continue prolonging the equality with his serve, he ended up delivering it with a double fault. Too many facilities for Djokovic, who found the loophole to make the wound more painful.
Three more games in a row, the last one laborious despite serving, earned him to seal his pass to the round of 16. In that round, the winner of the clash between the Italians Luca Nardi and Lorenzo Musetti, respectively executioners of the Monegasque Valentin Vacherot and the Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic, will be measured.