Current location:World Wave news portal > style
Djokovic finds his winning rhythm
World Wave news portal2024-05-21 14:17:15【style】2People have gathered around
IntroductionSerbia's Novak Djokovic keeps his eye on the ball during his Paris Masters second-round match agains
Serbia's Novak Djokovic keeps his eye on the ball during his Paris Masters second-round match against Argentina's Tomas Martin Etcheverry at the Accor Arena in the French capital on Wednesday. Djokovic won 6-3, 6-2. AP
Serb surges to first victory in Paris, as race heats up for year-end No 1 spot
PARIS — Novak Djokovic stayed on track to earn the year-end No 1 ranking for a record eighth time by beating Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-3, 6-2 in the second round of the Paris Masters on Wednesday.
Djokovic was competing in his first singles match since mid-September when he played for Serbia in the group stage of the Davis Cup.
"At the beginning of the match, it was a bit difficult for me to find the rhythm," the top seed said on court, "but at the end of the second set, it was really good."
Djokovic won five straight games to take the opening set with an ace and led 2-0 in the second set. The Serbian player only faced one break point that he saved with a forehand cross-court winner at 1-0 in the second set.
A six-time champion at the Paris Masters, Djokovic increased his lead to 5-1 before converting his third match point when Etcheverry netted a backhand.
Djokovic can widen the gap with No 2 Carlos Alcaraz in the race for the year-end top spot after the Spaniard lost to qualifier Roman Safiullin on Tuesday.
While Djokovic had racked up 500 more points than Alcaraz this season before the Paris Masters, he won't be able to clinch the year-end No 1 spot in Paris, since Alcaraz still gets 10 points for his second-round defeat.
There are 1,000 points for the Paris Masters winner and 1,500 points for a perfect run at the ATP Finals.
Djokovic holds the men's record, with seven year-end No 1 finishes, one more than Pete Sampras. Women's tennis great Steffi Graf holds the overall record with eight.
"Of course, my greatest motivation is still a love for the game. I really like competing. So, it's as simple as that, "Djokovic told a news conference on Saturday. "And then, you know, I always have goals, and to win another slam, to be No 1 again, to finish the year as No 1. Those are, let's say, the big goals."
Alcaraz is the only player who can overtake Djokovic after Daniil Medvedev dropped out of contention after he was beaten by Grigor Dimitrov 6-3, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (2) earlier on Wednesday.
Medvedev was booed off the court after remonstrating with the crowd during the match.
The crowd upset Medvedev in the 11th game of the second set, jeering him as he was about to serve after he had thrown his racket. The third-ranked Russian went back to his chair and complained to the referee before talking directly to the spectators in French.
"If there's one who whistles, I don't play," Medvedev told the crowd. "You don't whistle, I play. So, you shut your mouths."
From that moment, the crowd overwhelmingly threw its support behind Dimitrov, and Medvedev appeared to make a rude hand gesture toward some spectators as he walked off the court after the loss.
"I play in Bercy much better when there is no crowd at all," Medvedev joked afterward, referring to winning the Paris Masters title in 2020 during the pandemic in an empty arena. "That's the only time I won the tournament."
Meanwhile, Tommy Paul and Casper Ruud can no longer qualify for the ATP Finals. The 12th-seeded Paul lost to qualifier Botic Van de Zandschulp 6-4, 2-6, 6-3, while eighth-seeded Ruud was defeated by Francisco Cerundolo 7-5, 6-4. Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev, Holger Rune, Hubert Hurkacz and Alex de Minaur stayed in contention for the three remaining spots at the eight-man tournament in Turin, Italy, which takes place from Nov 12-19.
Before the Paris Masters, Djokovic, Alcaraz, Medvedev, Jannik Sinner and Andrey Rublev had already qualified for the ATP Finals.
In a late match that ended at nearly 2:30 am in Paris, fourth-seeded Sinner beat Mackenzie McDonald 6-7 (6), 7-5, 6-1. Seventh-seeded Tsitsipas beat Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3,7-6 (4), 10th-seeded Zverev outlasted Ugo Humbert 6-4, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (5), and sixth-seeded Rune defeated Dominic Thiem 6-4, 6-2.
Hurkacz, seeded 11th, beat Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3, 6-2, and 13th-seeded De Minaur rallied past Dusan Lajovic 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Address of this article:http://ukraine.downmusic.org/html-22f399879.html
Very good!(13)
Related articles
- Everybody may love Raymond, but Ray Romano loves Peter Boyle
- Israel marks memorial day, as Palestinians flee Rafah. Follow the latest
- Justin Verlander dominates former team as Houston Astros rout Detroit Tigers 9
- Stock market today: Asian stocks drift lower after Wall St closes another winning week
- Jon Wysocki dead at 53: Staind drummer passes away
- Mary Lou Retton prepares to become a grandma for the first time... after near
- BAFTA TV Awards 2024: Tess Daly exudes glamour in an off
- Researchers unveil different response patterns of tumor
- What's next for Iran after death of its president in crash?
- Chris Gotterup wins Myrtle Beach Classic for 1st PGA Tour title
Popular articles
- Trump accepts a VP debate but wants it on Fox News. Harris has already said yes to CBS
- Patrick Wisdom homers in the 10th, lifting Chicago Cubs to 5
- Fires used as weapon in Sudan conflict destroyed more towns in west than ever in April, study says
- Chris Gotterup wins Myrtle Beach Classic for 1st PGA Tour title
Recommended
NBA playoffs: Edwards leads Wolves to 98
Bruins captain Marchand scratched from Game 4 of Eastern Conference semifinals against Panthers
Fry and Giménez homer, Allen with 6 scoreless innings, Guardians beat White Sox 7
U.S. student protests over Israel
Nadal returns to Roland Garros to practice amid doubts over fitness and form
Bob Dylan painting from his Woodstock years up for auction
Santana homers, Ober fans 10 as red
Bruins captain Marchand scratched from Game 4 of Eastern Conference semifinals against Panthers
Links
- Hong Kong Launches English Version of 1st Volume of Local Chronicles
- Traditional Chinese Medicine Gains Foothold in 196 Countries, Regions
- College Entrance Exam Reforms Give Students More Choices
- China to Bolster Support for Childbirth, Parenting
- Seventh China
- China Aims to Build More Pocket Parks in 2022
- Autumn Harvest in Full Swing Across China
- Children Participate in Summer Camp Program in Beijing
- World Skills Competition Promotes Vocational Education Exchange
- 2022 World Artificial Intelligence Conference Held in Shanghai