By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Saturday, July 27, 2024
Novak Djokovic won 10 games in a row destroying Aussie Matthew Ebden 6-0, 6-1 in his Olympic opener and awaits Rafael Nadal in the second round.
Photo credit: Patricia De Melo Moreira/AFP/Getty
Launching his quest for an Olympic gold medal, Novak Djokovic showed heavy mettle in Paris.
A ruthless Djokovic won 10 games in a row destroying Aussie doubles specialist Matthew Ebden 6-0, 6-1 in a 53-minute rout.
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In his first match since losing to defending champion Carlos Alcaraz 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 in the Wimbledon final two weeks ago, Djokovic looked revitalized returning to red clay.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion was thrust into top-seeded status after Jannik Sinner withdrew from the Olympics due to tonsillitis.
Afterward, Djokovic questioned the ITF rules that propelled doubles specialist Ebden into a singles thrashing.
"There were a lot of singles players that had plenty of time, there were alternates, that could have been told to come," Djokovic said. "So this part I don't get and I really hope that the ITF along with the Olympics will consider changing this rule because it's tough on Matthew.
"He told me it's been over two years (since) he played an official singles match and he said this was his last singles match, he's officially retired. So as I said, it's not a great feeling for him being on the court like that."
Meanwhile, Alcaraz crushed Lebanon's Hady Habib 6-3, 6-1 to win his Olympic first-roudn match on Court Suzanne Lenglen. Alcaraz will face either Briton Cameron Norrie or Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor in round two.
Djokovic wasted no time exerting his dominance in his Roland Garros comeback today. Djokovic commanded the match so completely after disarming Ebden in the opening set, the Aussie jokingly offered his racquet to a fan in the crowd.
The 37-year-old Serbian superstar returned to Paris after undergoing surgery to repair a torn medial meniscus in his right knee on Wednesday, June 5th in the City of Light.
Moving more comfortably than he did on lawn at SW19 earlier this month, Djokovic completely outclassed Ebden firing 17 more winners—24 to 7—and converting six of his nine break points.
When Ebden finally held to get on the board at 0-6, 1-4, he raised his arms in triumph—and patted Djokovic on the shoulder as the pair crossed sides on the changeover.
Djokovic, who was ousted from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics by eventual gold-medal champion Alexander Zverev, opened with a statement start.
Grand Slam King Djokovic will face King of Rafael Nadal in the second round—if Nadal, who has been hampered by a right thigh injury, plays and wins his opener against Hungarian Marton Fucsovics. Djokovic owns a 30-29 edge over Nadal in the most prolific rivalry in ATP history.
"I'm very excited about this duel in the second round and I'm going to give it my all," Djokovic said at Team Serbia's media day. "I am aware of the importance of the Olympics. But I represent my country, it's more pressure, more responsibilities even if I'm used to it."