Djokovic Sails Through With Ease

The defending champion Novak Djokovic sails through the first round with a regular win over Philipp Kohlschreiber.

The German lost his opening service game to hand Novak a 2-0 lead but immediately broke back, giving clear signs that he can prove to be a tricky opponent too. A bit of errors kept on creeping from Serb’s racquet and the set went on serves before two double faults by Philipp in the tenth game handed the world no.1 the first set.

“Neeeeeeiiiinnnnn!’ exclaimed Kohlscreiber as he netted a high backhand from the baseline. He followed it with a ripper of a serve down the middle to win a point. 3-3 it was in the second.

The point of the game by some distance ended when Djokovic played an almost perfect lob on the run, looping the ball over Kohlschreiber who could only flap it over his shoulder on the run, and into the net. And then Djokovic played the shot of the match, firstly getting to a drive to the backhand corner, then hitting it, then nailing the shot down the line for a magnificent winner. And with an inside out backhand, he broke to take the set 6-4.

Djokovic broke early in the third to go 3-1 up only to be broken back in the very next game after a long rally ended as Djokovic put a forehand into the net. Kohlschreiber then served to stay in the match, and began with a double-fault, but redeemed himself with a terrific inside-out forehand that flew past Djokovic, then a brilliant ace to nose ahead. But he couldn’t deny the inevitable, and a missed forehand by the German handed Novak his first win, 6-4 6-4 6-4.

Edited By : Akanksha Agarwal