Former world no.1 Novak Djokovic is into the second round of the Madrid Open after overcoming Kei Nishikori 7-5 6-4 in a minute shy of the 2 hour mark here at the stadium court of La Caja Mágica.
The two time champion (2011 and 2016) was far from his best, but found enough in his game to edge out Nishikori in straight sets. The Serb came into the match with an encouraging 11-2 head to head lead going back as far as 2010, winning the last 10 for the loss of just three sets.
Today the Serb, ranked 12 and seeded 10, started out tentatively on serve as he was forced to save two break points after serving three double faults. He came through that test, but dropped his serve in the fifth game, going well long on his backhand. The Japanese couldn’t maintain his break advantage as Djokovic levelled at 3-3 when Nishikori double faulted at break point. When the Serb held serve in the seventh game having saved two break points, he looked over to his camp where the recently reinstated Marian Vajda sat and let out a primal roar of defiance.
Having failed to convert a set point on the Nishikori serve in the tenth game, Djokovic clinched the opening set at the second time of asking 7-5 in 67 minutes, with a forehand return winner accompanied by another elated roar.
The second set saw games going with serve, with both men holding their ground from the baseline which created some great rallies for the almost packed stadium court to enjoy. However, it was the Japanese who cracked first when serving to stay in the match. Despite going 40-15 up on serve, Nishikori quickly found himself match point down as a flurry of winners flowed from the racket of his illustrious opponent. When Nishikori’s backhand drive sailed long, Djokovic’s arms went up in relief as he strode triumphantly into the second round.
Djokovic served 6 aces and 5 double faults, with 63% of first serves from which he won 72% of the points. He converted 3/7 break points and saved 5/6 break points against him.
“It was strange, I must admit playing Kei in the first round”, Djokovic said. “Our rankings have dropped due to injuries and everything else that has happened to us in the last year. It can happen and it did happen here. I have played Kei many times in the big tournaments on the big occasions in the finals and semi-finals. It was different to play him in the first round and was a big test for both of us and I’m glad the match went my way, it could have gone his way as well. There were very few points that determined the winner today. I managed to play the right shots in the important moments. First and second sets I made breaks to win both sets in the final stages of both sets, so it was exactly what I needed for my confidence and for my game. I’m just happy to go through this one.”
Djokovic’s opening service game produced three double faults and the Serb was mightily relieved that that inauspicious start was not a sign of things to come.
“It’s never easy to open up the match on serve and he is one of the best returners in the game and I was feeling pressure on the second serve. I was going for my serves a little bit more. But I remember more the good serves today, especially the two after the horrendous miss I had (smash into the net at the net), probably the biggest one in my career”, Djokovic said laughing. “And I had a service winner and an ace after that, so that’s a great way to bounce back. In altitude and conditions like this you need a big weapon and that’s usually the serve, and obviously holding serve and winning some free points on the first serve is definitely something that we as players are looking for. So I’m glad I was able to get myself out of trouble a couple of times with the serve and, of course, with other shots as well, but I still need consistency and I’m still looking for that, but all in all it was a great test and a great match.”
Earlier today, Benoit Paire upset compatriot Lucas Pouille (15), 6-2 6-3 on Manolo Santana Stadium court. Despite coming into the match with an inferior 0-3 head to head record, Paire looked the more composed off the ground and made far less errors than his erratic opponent who was well below his best from start to finish. Two breaks of the Pouille serve saw Paire clinch the opening set in 40 minutes, and despite losing his serve and his cool at 3-1 up in the second set which saw water bottles flying which resulted in the obligatory code violation being issued, he regrouped and closed out the match with ease.
