TENNIS – Novak Djokovic started slow and suffered an inspired Philipp Kohlschreiber for a set, before finding the right asset and comfortably close in great fashion 4-6 6-2 6-1. Giulio Gasparin
The world number two started the match looking completely lost and the talented German took his chance to shine early in the set, stunning the Roman public with great winners and sensational combinations of drop-shots and volleys.
Djokovic allowed this to happen because, in the first twenty minutes of the match, it looked as if he could not find the ball as well as he usually masters it, resulting in many errors and short balls for his opponent to attack.
Kohlschreiber fast went 4-0 up, when suddenly something clicked in the Serb’s game. This was the most spectacular part of the match, as both players found their best tennis.
The second seed broke the German and managed to hold for the first time in the match, but his comeback fell short due to the great resistance of Kohlschreiber, who held his nerves and his serve until the end of the set.
Nevertheless, the change in the momentum was evident: Djokovic was holding serve with authority, his ball had a better pace, less errors were leaking, while for the German everything suddenly looked harder and the baseline looking further and further ahead of him.
A whole new match had started and it was completely in the hands of the Serb.
Kohlschreiber was forced to go for the lines continuously and it often proved to be not enough against the defence of his opponent, while Djokovic was finding breaches in the German’s defence with ease.
Archived the second set without many troubles, the soon-to-be dad flew up 5-0 in the third and decisive set, but then his opponent had a burst of pride worth a break of serve, which avoided the null next to his name.
The Serb did not want to waste any time on court though and promptly found another break, which sealed the victory.
Djokovic will face David Ferrer for a place in the semi-finals of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia tomorrow.
