It’s Tipsy time.
Janko Tipsarevic returned to tennis for the first time since the fall of 2013 when he took the court on Friday afternoon at the Miami Open. Tipsarevic decided that he was not yet ready for singles in South Beach, but what better way to ease back into action than with a doubles match partnering fellow Serb Novak Djokovic?
Although Djokovic and Tipsarevic were one and one, they put up a strong fight in a 6-4, 3-6, 10-7 loss to Jurgen Melzer and Robert Lindstedt.
Djokovic could do absolutely nothing wrong throughout the two full sets, but it was Tipsarevic who came up with the shot of the day–a lunging forehand pass at the end of an incredible rally. Roles reversed in the super-tiebreaker, when Tipsarevic played more consistently as Djokovic got tight.
“The opportunity to play with him today was very special for me as a friend, and I cared very much to win this match today,” the world No. 1 commented. “I got very tight in the super-tiebreaker. We lost to two of the great, very good doubles players.
“But we talked after the match, and he appreciated the fact that he can actually play; just feel that match play, have that sensation of how it feels and what it takes to be on the court. He’s 31 this year, but he’s eager to play. He’s motivated. He has been practicing for a couple of weeks (at) 100 percent. Hopefully this doubles match today can help him.”
A routine day the office should help Nadal get over a tough Indian Wells to Milos Raonic that was followed by a minor ankle injury scare on Monday in Miami. The second-seeded Spaniard showed no ill effects as he disposed of countryman Nicolas Almagro 6-4, 6-2 in one hour and 29 minutes.
“In general, I think I played a solid match,” said Nadal, who won six of the seven break points (three for three on his own serve, three for four on Almagro’s). “I played well. I had good movement. I had to put the balls in and play with no mistakes; that was the idea today with very tough conditions. Almagro was not an easy opponent for the first round.”
Nothing came easy in Dominic Thiem vs. Feliciano Lopez, arguably the highest-quality contest of the day before torrential rain wiped out evening and night matches. Both men had to earn everything they got, and ultimately it was Thiem who crossed the finish line with a 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-3 victory.
The 21-year-old Austrian fired 11 aces while double-faulting only once and he prevailed despite winning 94 total points to Lopez’s 96.
“I think it was also a nice match to watch,” Thiem wrote on Facebook. “I am very happy and in some way relieved, that everything went so well today. It’s balsam for my soul!”
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