Rome (EFE)
Djokovic is already in the quarterfinals, he is the first tennis player in the draw to do so. And without Carlos Alcaraz in the middle, the Serbian is more than a favorite to lift the title on the Italian clay that he has always known how to dominate.
This year, yes, between the poor condition of the track and that he is still not one hundred percent with his elbow, it costs him a little more to close the games. But he gets it.
In the first stake, Nole quickly broke Norrie and went up 3-0 to put a set on track that he was able to close with another break, but missed two set balls before heading the sleeve.
In the second, he had to demand more against a combative Norrie who ended up asking for medical assistance. Djokovic gave up a serve but broke two to recover.
This time, in addition, not only did he have to overcome a sector of the public that he ordered to silence, but he also had to calm down after the monumental anger he had when, in the second set, he gave up an easy and pumped ball to his rival at the net and turned around giving the point for lost. The Englishman, with the entire court for him and his rival surrendered to him, finished off hard at the leg of a Djokovic who turned defiantly.
The Serb’s anger lasted for several minutes and points, to the point that he challenged the Briton again at a break while he avoided looking at him. Everything stayed on the track, the Serbian completed his victory, the seventeenth in the round of 16 in his entire career in Rome, and peace was signed with a greeting at the end of the match.
In the quarterfinals, the winner of the duel between the Norwegian Holger Rune and the Australian Alexei Popyrin will be measured.