Rome, Italy—World Number 1 Novak Djokovic made winning returns at the Italian Open on Wednesday (Thursday Philippine time) easing into the third round of the clay-court tournament in Rome.
Djokovic eased past Italian wild card entry Salvatore Caruso 6-3, 6-2 after his unbeaten record this season was ended with a US Open last 16 default for accidently striking a line judge with a ball hit in frustration.
“I didn’t feel that I had any mental or emotional blockages or any dramas playing a match today,” said the world number one.
Djokovic, who had said he had learned a “big lesson” was keen to move on in Rome.
The 33-year-old playfully greeted an imaginary crowd in an empty Central Court because of strict coronavirus measures.
Only some noisy workers managed to unnerve the 17-time Grand Slam winner after missing break points.
“I don’t know who it was, but it was noise coming from there during the points.
“That’s the only thing that we, I and Caruso, also told chair umpire.”
Djokovic continued where he left off before his US Open exit, having won the Cincinnati Masters on the same Flushing Meadows courts.
“It was a very good test for me. I’m very pleased with the way I handled myself in important moments,” said Djokovic, who has reached nine finals in Rome and won four.
He next plays 29th-ranked fellow Serb Filip Krajinovic for a place in the quarter-finals.
Halep, Azarenka advance
Third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas fell to Italian teenager Jannik Sinner 6-1, 6-7 (9/11), 6-2, with sixth seeded Belgian David Goffin also exiting 6-2, 6-2 to Croatia’s Marin Cilic.
Top women’s seed Simona Halep returned a month after winning in Prague to ease past 99th-ranked Italian Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 6-4. AFP
“It was a little bit difficult to get the rhythm and to get relaxed,” said the 28-year-old Romanian, who skipped the US Open but is warming up for a bid for a second French Open title later this month.
US Open finalist Victoria Azarenka shrugged off the move from hard court to the clay surface to beat American Venus Williams 7-6 (9/7), 6-2, in their first round match.
Belarusian Azarenka will play third seeded American Sofia Kenin, the reigning Australian Open champion, for a place in the third round.
Swiss sixth seed Belinda Bencic fell 6-3, 6-1 in her second round match to Montenegro’s 86th-ranked Danka Kovinic.
