By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday November 1, 2023
The World No.1 opened his bid for a seventh Paris title with an impressive win over Tomas Martin Etcheverry.
Photo Source: TTV
Six-time Paris Masters champion Novak Djokovic wasted no time in asserting himself on Wednesday in Bercy.
The World No.1 eased past Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etchverry 6-3, 6-2 to reach the third round behind a steady – and steadily improving – game.
Djokovic, who sets a third-round clash with Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands, raised his level as the match progressed as he improved to 47-5 on the season, and 46-9 lifetime at Paris.
The 24-time major champion, who won his first Paris title in 2009, then added a threepeat from 2013 to 2015 as well as titles in 2019 and 2021, broke serve three times from seven opportunities as he improved to 2-0 lifetime against the 24-year-old from La Plata.
In his first match since a Davis Cup singles victory over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina one week after the US Open, Djokovic hit 21 winners against 16 unforced errors and needed just one hour and 23 minutes to get through. He won 81 percent of his first-serve points and 60 percent behind his second serve.
Djokovic is bidding for his record 8th year-end No.1 finish and he increased his lead over Carlos Alcaraz with Wednesday’s win. He currently leads Alcaraz by 580 points in the live rankings, and can stretch that lead to 1490 by winning the title.
The Spaniard was defeated in second-round action on Tuesday, falling to Roman Safiullin in straight sets.