Tennis: Djokovic hits the ground running in Paris
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Novak Djokovic celebrates after winning his match against Maxime Cressy of the US.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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PARIS – The ATP Finals are less than two weeks away and Novak Djokovic is pleased that there was “intense” tennis to keep him on his toes ahead of the Nov 13-20 season-ending event in Turin.
The Serb began the defence of his Paris Masters title with a clinical 7-6 (7-1), 6-4 second-round win against American Maxime Cressy on Tuesday.
Arriving in the French capital after back-to-back indoor titles in Tel Aviv and Astana in October, Djokovic stretched his winning run to 10 matches following his summer hiatus.
The No. 6 seed is targeting his fifth title from just 11 events after a season heavily curtailed by his opposition to being vaccinated against Covid-19. That stance saw him ejected from Australia before the Australian Open in January.
And aside from competing in Roger Federer’s farewell to the sport at the Laver Cup, he effectively did not play for three months after Wimbledon, the US Open among the tournaments he was forced to sit out.
But he has said he is “super pumped” to finish 2022 in style, and his 1hr 42 min beating of Cressy also took his winning streak in Paris to 10 matches, after claiming the title here in 2019 and 2021, having missed the 2020 edition.
The big-serving, Paris-born Cressy proved tough to crack in the opening set, saving three set-points before being undone by two double faults in the tiebreak.
Djokovic, though, weathered Cressy’s aggressive delivery – he hit 15 aces and 10 double faults – and got his break on return to lead 5-4 in the second set to go on to serve out for the match.
“It was very intense, just a lot of pressure,” said the 35-year-old Djokovic. “When you play someone who serves this well – first and second serve – you don’t have much room to relax and maybe play kind of a softer few games.
“You just have to be on your toes all the time. I had to lock in, I had to not give him gifts and points. Just overall very pleased with the way I felt and the way I played.”
Djokovic, seeking his seventh Paris title 13 years after his first, will next face Karen Khachanov in the last 16.
Meanwhile, former world No. 1 Andy Murray has said that he will have to push himself harder in training, if he wants to compete on the ATP Tour, after the Briton lost to French wild card Gilles Simon in the first round in Paris.
Simon battled back from a set down to beat Murray 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 on Monday, with the three-time Grand Slam champion suffering from cramp in the second set.
“Having that happen after a set and a half on an indoor court, where it’s not particularly hot, is not really acceptable,” Murray, who has struggled to regain top form since undergoing two hip operations, told reporters.
“It’s nothing to do with my hip. I just think the reality is, I need to work harder.” AFP, REUTERS
