Novak Djokovic overcame a slow start in the first set to beat Tomas Martin Etcheverry 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 in 1 hour and 51 minutes in the second round at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia at the Foro Italico in Rome.
Etcheverry saved a break point in the second game with a forehand winner to hold serve with a service winner to consolidate the break for 2-0.
Djokovic forced Etcheverry’s error after a long rally to get his first game on the scoreboard. Etcheverry saved a break point with a serve and volley to hold serve for 3-1 lead. Djokovic broke back in the sixth game to draw level to 3-3, as Etcheverry sent a forehand wide.
Djokovic earned two set points with a backhand down the line winner in the 10thgame. Etcheverry saved them with service winners and held serve to draw level to 5-5. Etcheverry went up a 3-0 lead in the tie-break. Djokovic won four consecutive points from 3-5 down to close out the tie-break 7-5.
Djokovic forced a forehand error from Etcheverry to earn an early break in the first game of the second set. The Serbian player held to 30 in the second game. The six-time Rome champion won 12 of the final 13 points from 3-2 and broke for the second time in the seventh game to seal the second set 6-2. Etcheverryreached two finals in Santiago and Houston in 2023.
“I am not at the desired level, still finding the shots and finding that groove on the court. It’s always a little bit tricky playing someone for the first time. He is a clay-court specialist. He started better than I did. I started pretty slow, but I found my groove towards the end of the first set. The second set was good, especially the last three or four games. I am happy with the way I closed out the match”, said Djokovic.
Djokovic set up a third round match against Grigor Dimitrov, who beat Stan Wawrinka 6-4 7-6 (7-3). Djokovic holds a 10-1 lead in his head-to-head matches against Dimitrov.
Dimitrov earned an early break in the first game to open up a 2-0 lead. Wawrinka saved three break points to hold serve in the seventh game for 3-4. Dimitrov won his final two service games to seal the first set 6-4.
Dimitrov went up a 3-1 lead with an early break in the first game. Wawrinka broke straight back to force the second set to the tie-break. Dimitrov earned three mini-breaks to seal the tie-break on his third match point.
“I am just happy to finish the match in straight sets. It’s been a while since I have played matches like that. Off the blocks to play Stan is never easy. We have played so many times against each other. We know what we are going to do in a lot of moments. Today was a very small margin”, said Dimitrov.
Fabio Fognini beat Miomir Kecmanovic 6-3 7-6 (8-6). Fognini converted his third break point in the first game. The Italian player held on his next service games and closed out the first set with a break on his second set point.
Fognini earned three break points in three different service games, but he did not convert them. Kecmanovic earned an early mini-break in the tie-break after a double fault. Fognini pulled back on serve with a forehand winner. He earned another mini-break to open up a 4-2 lead. He did not convert three match points at 6-3, but he sealed the tie-break on his fourth opportunity.
