World number 1 Novak Djokovic beat world number 198 Ivan Gakhov 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 in 1 hour and 47 minutes to reach the third round at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters.
Gakhov held serve at deuce in his opening service game. Djokovic saved two break points at 2-2. Gakhov fended off two break points in the next game with two serves, including an ace up the T.
Gakhov earned the first break in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead, but Djokovic pulled back on serve in the eighth game to draw level to 4-4. Gakhov hit a couple of returns wide in the next game, as the first set went went to the tie-break.
Djokovic went up an early mini-break to take a 2-0 lead. Gakhov pulled back on serve to draw level to 2-2. Little separated the two players. Djokovic took his second mini-break to seal the tie-break 7-5 on his third set point after 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Both players held serve in the first four games of the second set. Djokovic broke Gakhov’s serve twice in the fifth and seventh games and served for the match at 5-2 and hit a forehand winner at 15-30. Djokovic earned a match point with a forehand, but he wasted it. Djokovic netted a forehand and faced a break point, but Gakhov missed a forehand. Djokovic earned his second match point and sealed the opportunity with a powerful serve.
Gakhov was the fourth alternate into the qualifying round and made it into the qualifying round following four withdrawals on Friday. He beat Mackenzie McDonald in the first round earning his first ATP Tour win to reach the second round.
“I never saw Ivan play before today to be honest. I have seen a little bit of his video from yesterday’s match and that’s all.That was not the best preparation, but he is a young player coming up from the Challenger Tour and he just was on a roll. It was probably an ugly tennis for me today. I have not played my best, particularly in the first set. I expected that was going to happen in a way with swirly conditions, a lot of windy today, changing directions. It’s different practicing and playing an official match on clay, where I guess no two bounces are the same. It’s quite unpredictable, what’s going to happen, but all in all I am pleased with the way I held my nerve in the important moments and I managed to clinch the two set win”, said Djokovic.
Djokovic set up a third round match against the winner of the all-Italian match between Lorenzo Musetti and Luca Nardi.
