ATP Finals London: Novak Djokovic outclasses Matteo Berrettini
Novak Djokovic started with a glittering appearance at the ATP Finals in London: the five-time ATP World Champion won against Matteo Berrettini 6-2 and 6-1.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Nov 10, 2019, 04:21 pm
By Jens Huiber from London
At midday it was still completely stowed in front of the O2 Arena, with the double between Joe Salisbury and Rajeev Ram against Raven Klaasen and Michael Venus still remained some places in the stands free. However, two hours later, when Novak Djokovic and Matteo Berrettini arrived, the hut was full.
Also with a surprising number of Italian fans who gave the debutants much applause when they entered the court. But that remained the only pleasing from the point of view of Berrettini. Because the head on the court was from the beginning Novak Djokovic, who won with 6: 2 and 6: 1 the first victory in the group Björn Borg.
Djokovic does not make any presents
As much as Matteo Berrettini has improved playfully and in terms of ranking this year, the 23-year-old still has weaknesses in his game. Above all, the backhand, and Berrettini will never move as catlike as his Djokovic size of almost two meters. By the way, he has no weaknesses. And no presents distributed like Berrettini in the sixth game: At the second break ball Djokovic the Italian put a forehand ball longline in the net, his opponent had already opened in the other corner. Another break, this time to zero, sealed the set win of the world ranking second after 29 minutes of playtime.
The spectators, who had booked only this one single in the afternoon session, already suspected bad things. Because Novak Djokovic, in London on the hunt for his sixth title in the final tournament and the number one at the end of the year, defused Berrettini's weapons rather humorless: Although managed the newcomer now and then an ace (in the end there were three in the first and one in the second sentence). The high risk that Berrettini had to go, but was rewarded too rarely. After all: At the score of 4: 0 for Djokovic Berrettini made his first break, the audience celebrated him loudly. Of course, there was no question of a comeback - after 63 minutes the first single group game of the 2019 ATP Finals was history.
Thiem or Federer next opponent
So Novak Djokovic is well-off to the round-robin phase, where at the end every single game could count. On Tuesday we will face the winner of the match between Dominic Thiem and Roger Federer, who will give the honor today from 9pm GMT (live on Sky and ServusTv and in our live ticker).
If this concerns the Austrian, then this information gets first-hand: Coach Nicolas Massu had indeed namely found a place in the audience. And seen a never endangered Novak Djokovic.