Djokovic spark lights up rain-hit day – Times of India

PARIS: Novak Djokovic is having fun on the tennis court again, that can only mean trouble for the player field.

Roberto Carballes Baena was witness to the point-precise, second-round workout on Court Philippe Chatrier on Thursday. The 31-year-old Spaniard asked the questions and the answers were razor-like.

On another rain-marred day at Roland Garros, where the sun played hide-and-seek, forcing organizers to start play at 10 am on Friday on all courts, Djokovic’s tennis lit a spark.

The top-seed was tested in the 53-minute first set when the world No.63 Baena stretched himself. A forehand down-the-line winner after a late start was particularly impressive.

The World No.1, looking for a fourth title at Roland Garros, only needed another 71 minutes for the second and third sets to score a 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 win.

Djokovic, the master of balance, had an equal number of winners on the forehand and backhand sides, 13 each, and 18 of his 43 winners in the match came in the third set.

The 37-year-old Serb, who arrived in Paris without a tournament title, said he was having fun on the court again.

“Even Australia was a bit of an uphill battle in terms of how I was feeling on the court,” Djokovic said. “I’ve been saying from the last (few) years that Grand Slams are the tournaments that get me out of bed every day, knowing that I have to hit the practice courts. I always think about what I can do in Grand Slams.”

Bopanna, Nagal face off in doubles

The men’s doubles draw will see two India No.1s, singles and doubles – Sumit Nagal and Rohan Bopanna – face off.

Bopanna and Aussie Matt Ebden will take on alternates Nagal and Austria’s Sebastian Ofner in the first round.

The other Indian interest in the draw is Yuki Bhambri, who is partnering Frenchman Albano Olivetti. The Indo-French pairing will play John Peers and Roman Safiullin in the first round. In a clash of alternates, India’s Sriram Balaji and Miguel Reyes-Varela play Reese Stalder and Sem Verbeek.