By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Novak Djokovic defeated Thomaz Bellucci, 7-5, 6-3, in his Paris opener, stretching his winning streak to 18 matches.
Photo credit: FFT/BNP Paribas Masters Paris
Streaking from an undefeated Asian swing, Novak Djokovic delivered punch in his Paris return.
The reigning Paris champion crunched winners off both wings— 25 in all—defeating Thomaz Bellucci, 7-5, 6-3, to extend his winning streak to 18 matches at the BNP Paribas Masters.
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Launching his quest for a sixth Masters title this season, Djokovic has won 24 straight sets following successive championship runs in Beijing and Shanghai.
Djokovic will face a Frenchman next, either 14th-seeded Gilles Simon or Benoit Paire.
Moving fluidly and transitioning smoothly from defense to offense, the three-time champion played with control for much of the match launching his bid to break a record he shares with coach Boris Becker and Marat Safin in become the first four-time champion in tournament history.
The world No. 1 reeled off six straight points to open the match, then showed some signs of rust. His first-serve percentage hovered in the low 30s for the first half of the opener and he over-played the drop shot a few times, including a horrid dropper that didn't reach the net in the 11th game. Djokovic grew sharper as the match progressed, converted three of six break points and showed his front-court skills winning 16 of 20 trips to net.
Winless in their four prior meetings, the 40th-ranked Brazilian bolted a forehand down the line to score the first break for 3-2. Bellucci was at his best using his forehand to stretch the court and test the top seed in baseline exchanges.
The break roused Djokovic, who immediately broke back reeling off eight of the next nine points for a 4-3 advantage.
All-court tennis helped Djokovic close the first set with another break. Streaking forward, he nudged a backhand volley that skimmed the top of the tape and settled in the short court, capping a love break with a sweet shot.
Digging out of a 0-30 hole, Djokovic worked though a tough hold for a 3-2 second-set lead.
Bellucci is not as comfortable as Djokovic moving forward, Djokovic knows it and did his best to displace the Brazilian from his comfort zone behind the baseline. Bellucci ran down a dipping drop shot and scraped a reply off the frame only to see a lunging Djokovic stab back a stretch volley. Djokovic slid an ace holding for 4-3.
Unable to consistently penetrate Djokovic's oppressive defense, Bellucci sailed a forehand as Djokovic scored the only break of the set for 5-3. He closed in 94 minutes with exuberance writing "Alleeeez Paris!" on the court-side camera lens after raising his 2015 record to 74-5, including a 17-0 mark against left-handers.