ATP Belgrade: Novak Djokovic wins 3hrs 20mins battle vs Djere
Novak Djokovic (ATP No. 1) took on a physical test of strength at the home game in Belgrade - in the end it was successful.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Apr 20, 2022, 08:48 pm
Djokovic won against compatriot Laslo Djere in a cool sand battle 2: 6, 7: 6 (6), 7: 6 (4) - and was close to the end several times.
The two Serbs gave each other the full programme, in the end it was an inglorious 7 degrees of cold. Djokovic's jubilation was probably also limited because he just wanted to keep his clothes on.
Djere had already led 6: 2, 4: 3 and 40:15 on his own serve, but then left a simple forehand and Djokovic equalized. And yet he had to muster everything up to the end: At 4: 4 Djere came to a 0:30 and then a breakball, but Djokovic parried with a strong serve, at 5: 5 he was also able to turn a 0:30.
In the third round, Djoker got an early break, but Djere immediately equalized. Djere finally won a marathon service game at 5:5 with the seventh (!) ball (whereby he had to fend off two break chances). Very bitter: In the final tie-break, Djere led 4:3, brought a strong first serve to the other side, but he put the short return on the edge of the net instead of in the open field - it would have been 5:3. Instead, just seconds later, Djokovic was the winner.
Djokovic meets another compatriot in round 2: Miomir Kecmanovic.