By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Playing his first match since his Wimbledon loss, Novak Djokovic shook off the rust defeating Gilles Muller, 7-5, 7-6 (3), to reach the Rogers Cup round of 16.
Photo credit: Miami Open
Sounds of desire reverberated throughout Center Court in the squeaks and squeals from Novak Djokovic's shoes.
The world No. 1 hit some stops and starts, but never stopped moving his feet dispatching Gilles Muller, 7-5, 7-6 (3), in his Rogers Cup opener in Toronto.
More: Federer Pulls Plug on 2016 Season
Playing his first match since falling to Sam Querrey in the Wimbledon third round on July 2nd, Djokovic struggled at times to shake off the rust and a game Muller.
Twice the top-seed squandered break leads in the second set, including when he served for the match at 5-4, but Djokovic played with clarity in the tie break.
Trailing 1-3 in the breaker, the world No. 1 reeled off six straight points to seal a one-hour, 43-minute victory.
Djokovic raised his record to 47-4 in 2016, including a 29-1 mark on hard courts.
Continuing his quest for a record-extending 30th Masters crown, Djokovic will take on long-time friend and sometime practice partner Radek Stepanek in the round of 16.
The 37-year-old Czech qualifier squeezed out a 7-6 (5), 6-4 victory over Canadian wild card Peter Polansky.
In an all-American battle, qualifier Ryan Harrison repelled ninth-seeded John Isner, 7-6 (3), 6-7 (4), 6-4 in two hours, 21 minutes. Isner belted 25 aces and fought off three match points serving at 4-5 in the second set, eventually leveling.
The 144th-ranked Harrison converted his lone break point with a forehand down the line, breaking for a 5-4 lead in the decider. He served it out an hour after failing to convert on three match points.
The left-handed Muller presents a variety of challenges. His swerving slice serve drags the right-handed returner off the court on the ad side, he can attack behind the serve or his slice backhand and he took the court with the second highest ace output on the ATP Tour this season, trailing only Isner in the ace race.
Furthermore, two of the Serbian's four losses this year came against left-handers. Feliciano Lopez held a one-set lead when Djokovic returned from their Dubai quarterfinal and 55th-ranked lefty Jiri Vesely toppled Djokovic at his hometown tournament in Monte Carlo.
The server was in charge throughout the opening set: 16 of the first 17 points were won by the server.
Serving at 4-all, 30-all, Muller found himself dragged into precisely the protracted rally he'd done so well avoiding for much of the set. Rust was evident as Djokovic sprayed a backhand down the line wide. Muller worked through a challenging hold for 5-4.
Nothing separated the pair through the first 10 games.
Djokovic turned the set around with two points of sizzle.
A lunging, sliding stretch forehand prolonged the point as Djokovic sprinted to the opposite sideline eventually darting a backhand pass down the line for the first break point. Slashing a sharp-angled backhand crosscourt, Djokovic broke for 6-5 at the 40-minute mark.
Banging a body serve, Djokovic serve out a 43-minute opener on the strength of a single break. Squinting his eyes against the high sun, Djokovic scorched through two service games at love, served 72 percent and won 24 of 29 points played on his serve.
Throwing down four aces, Muller snapped a smash capping a tricky deuce hold to open the second set.
The physical strain of bending and lunging to reach Djokovic's drives caught up with the 33-year-old in the second set. Djokovic drew errors for triple break point then pinned Muller on the baseline eventually coaxing a slapped forehand into net to break at love for 2-1.
Knifing an ace to erase the first break point he faced, Djokovic dumped a double fault into net to face a second break point. Muller broke back for 2-all when a lunging lob floated long.
A frustrated Djokovic swiped his Head racquet off the blue court when he failed to control a forehand return at 0-30. Two points later, the top seed was applauding when Muller nudged a slick half-volley, eventually holding for 3-2.
Mounting pressure prodded the crucial break. Djokovic fought off a serve into the hip, neutralized Muller and broke for 5-4 when his opponent flattened a forehand into net.
A frustrated Djokovic spit up a double fault then watched with an open mouth as Muller hooked a forehand winner into the corner, breaking back for 5-all.
Down 1-3 in the tie break, Djokovic turned it up reeling off six straight points and slashing a serve down the T to close.
Two players—Roland Garros semifinalist Dominic Thiem and Wimbledon quarterfinalist Sam Querrey—both retired.
David Goffin held a 6-4, 2-1 lead over Querrey when the Wimbledon quarterfinalist retired with a back injury. The seventh-seeded Belgian will play either Washington, D.C. champion Gael Monfils or Canadian Vasek Pospisil for a place in the last eight.
The sixth-seeded Thiem was down 1-4 to Kevin Anderson when he pulled the plug after 21 minutes due to an apparent hip issue.
World No. 118 Rajeev Ram surprised 13th-seeded Lucas Pouille, 6-4, 7-6 (5). A Delray Beach finalist earlier this year, Ram will play Kei Nishikori for a quarterfinal spot.
The third-seeded Nishikori served just 49 percent, but still swept American qualifier Dennis Novikov, 6-4, 7-5, in 82 minutes.