Djokovic Begins Quest for Career Grand Slam With Win in Paris

May 29, 2013 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
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Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

World number one Novak Djokovic, in search of rounding our his career Grand Slam, moved within two match wins of 500 victories at the 2013 French Open after defeating David Goffin 7-6(5), 6-4, 7-5. In the second round, Djokovic will face Guido Pella who edged Ivan Dodig 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 12-10 in three hours and 24 minutes to secure his first win at a Grand Slam event. Pella is ranked a career-high 83rd in the Emirates ATP Rankings after qualifying en route to a semifinal run in Dusseldorf.

Second seeded Roger Federer advanced to round three, defeating qualifier Somdev Devvarman 6-2, 6-1, 6-1. Up next for Federer is the number 30 seed, Frenchman Julien Benneteau, the man who nearly eliminated Federer at last year’s Wimbledon. 

Sixth seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga needed nearly three hours to advance at Roland Garros, hitting eight aces and 35 winners to beat Jarkko Nieminen 7-6(6), 6-4, 6-3. Up next for Tsonga is the 25th seeded Jeremy Chardy, a fellow Frenchman, who beat Roberto Bautista Agut 6-1, 7-5, 6-4.

Also advancing at Roland Garros was Tommy Haas who defeated wild card Guillaume Rufin 7-6(4), 6-1, 6-3. Haas won his 14th ATP World Tour title on home soil at the BMW Open in Munich and is in the same quarter of the draw as Djokovic, who he beat earlier this year at the Sony Open Tennis in Miami. Up next for Haas is American wild card Jack Sock, a 6-2, 6-2, 7-5 winner over Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2, 6-2, 7-5. Sock capitalized on seven of his 13 break points to secure his fourth main draw win at a major tournament and first outside the U.S. Open.

The number four seed, David Ferrer, defeated fellow Spaniard Albert Montanes 6-2, 6-1, 6-3 in one hour and 41 minutes to advance as well. Ferrer advances to play fellow countryman Feliciano Lopez, a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 winner over Joao Sousa.

The number eight seed, Janko Tipsarevic ended a three-match losing streak and was a 6-2, 7-6(4), 6-1 winner over Nicolas Mahut. Awaiting Tipsarevic is Fernando Verdasco.

On the women’s side of the draw, it was the number three seeded Victoria Azarenka who was a straight sets winner over Elena Vesnina, 6-1, 6-4. Up next for Azarenka is Germany’s Annika Beck.

The number seven seed Petra Kvitova advanced as well with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 win over Aravane Rezai. Kvitova will next face China’s Shuai Peng. 

The other seeds in action had mixed results, as the number 12 seed Maria Kirilenko defeated Nina Bratchikova, 6-0, 6-1, but the 23rd seeded Klara Zakopalova fell to Kaia Kanepi, 7-6(3), 6-2. The number 25 seed Lucie Safarova lost to Jamie Hampton, 7-6(5), 3-6, 9-7, despite serving for the match at 7-6 third set.


Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
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