Novak Djokovic beat Yen-Hsun Lu from Chinese Taipei 6-4 6-1 6-1 in one hour and 30 minutes to join Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray in the second round of Roland Garros. Djokovic broke serve seven times and produced 34 winners to 22 unforced errors.
Lu kept up with Djokovic in the early stages of the match, but Djokovic broke serve in the seventh game as Lu hit his backhand wide.
Djokovic faced the only problem in this match when Lu broke back to draw level to 4-4 with a couple of forehand returns, but Djokovic broke again before serving out the set with a backhand winner down the line. Djokovic won 11 of the next 12 games and closed out the match with a backhand drop shot.
Djokovic will face Belgian qualifier Steve Darcis, who beat Turkish qualifier Marsel Ilhan 6-3 6-4 6-0. Darcis famously beat Rafa Nadal at Wimbledon in 2013.
“I just needed the time to get myself engaged, get used to the conditions and the new court, a new tournament. The second and third sets were really good. I thought I found my rhythm. The first set was up and down. I will take the positives out of it and I am hoping I can progress as the tournament goes on”, said Djokovic.
Djokovic reached the final three times three times in the last four years.
“I think it’s been now a few years in a row that is a very similar situation where I am approaching this tournament as one of the favourites and obviously people wonder if this is the year or not. I wonder myself. It’s a particular feeling approaching this tournament. It’s quite different than others. It depends on me how I am going to use this emotion, so I try to use it as a motivation to inspire myself, to play well, to stay calm and focus only on the present moment”, said Djokovic.
