Novak Djokovic kicked off another bid for his first French Open title and a completion of the career Grand Slam when he rolled over Yen-Hsun Lu 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 on Tuesday. Djokovic came out slow but quickly recovered and ultimately needed only one hour and 29 minutes to advance.
The world No. 1 has arrived at Roland Garros as a considerable favorite, just as he was in 2015 before eventually falling to Stan Wawrinka in the final. Perhaps that pressure contributed to Djokovic dropping four of the match’s first eight games en route to a 4-4 deadlock in the opening set.
“It’s not the first time this year that I’m experiencing such anticipation and expectations,” Djokovic reflected. “As a matter of fact, I think it’s been now three years in a row that is very similar situation where I’m approaching this tournament as one of the favorites. Obviously people wonder if this is the year or not–and I wonder myself.
“So of course it is a particular sensation approaching this tournament. It’s quite different than others. It does depend on me how I’m going to use this emotion; so I try to use it as a motivation to inspire myself, to play well, to stay calm and focus only on the present moment.”
The Serb certainly buckled down starting late in the first set against Lu. After falling behind 40-0 on the underdog’s serve, just a point from trailing 5-4, Djokovic promptly reeled off nine consecutive points to steal the set. From there he did not look back, surrendering just two more games the rest of the way.
“The second and third set were really good,” Djokovic assessed. “I thought I found my rhythm. (The) first set was up and down. But I’ll take the positives out of it, and I’m hoping I can progress as the tournament goes on.”
If–or more like when–Djokovic progresses to the semis, he could run into Rafael Nadal. The nine-time Roland Garros champion began his campaign with a 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 demolition of Sam Groth earlier in the afternoon, trumping Djokovic’s double-breadstick performance against Lu.
“It was difficult for me to break him, but for him it was also difficult to break me,” Nadal said of the big-serving Australian.
But only one of those assertions by Nadal was correct.
The Spaniard had absolutely no problem breaking Groth. In fact, he did so on eight occasions. And calling it “difficult” for Groth to break was being generous. It was more like impossible. The world No. 100 won a miniscule five out of 45 return points and–of course–did not generate a single break chance.
“It’s obvious that was a good start for me,” Nadal commented. “The most important thing that I had to do today I did well was the return, and then I was playing with not many mistakes. I think it’s obvious that the opponent plays better in faster surfaces. But in general I think I played a solid match.”
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