Novak Djokovic came back from one set down to beat Tallon Griekspoor 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 at the Paris Rolex Masters at the Accor Hotel in Paris Bercy.
Djokovic has extended his winning streak to 15 consecutive matches. He now leads Carlos Alcaraz by 670 points in the ATP Ranking.
Djokovic did not drop his serve in the second and third sets. The Serbian player fended off six of the nine break points he faced and converted three of his seven break points.
Djokovic broke serve in the second game of the first set, as Griekspoor netted a forehand. The World number 1 held his next three service games to open up a 4-1 lead. Djokovic went up 40-15 in the seventh game on serve, but he lost four consecutive games and was broken after Griekspoor hit a running forehand down the line winner at the net. The Dutchman held serve at love to draw level to 4-4.
Griekspoor converted his fourth break point in the ninth game to take a 5-4 lead earning a chance to serve for the set. The Dutchman held serve at love with a forehand down the line to win his fifth consecutive game and closed out the first set in 46 minutes.
Both players earned break points in the first two games of the second set. They held their next service games to draw level to 4-4. Djokovic faced two break points in the ninth game. Djokovic saved them to hold serve.
Both players held on their serve in the last three games to set up a tie-break. Djokovic raced out to a 5-0 lead with two mini-breaks and closed out the second set 7-2 with an unreturned serve after 1 hour and 44 minutes forcing the match to the third set. Djokovic is now 27-5 in the tie-breaks played this year.
Djokovic broke serve in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead as Griekspoor netted a forehand. The Serbian player held serve at 30 to open up a 4-2 lead and earned another break point in the seventh game. Griekspoor saved it and held serve. Djokovic wasted a game point point at 4-3. Griekspoor broke back when Djokovic made a double fault.
Djokovic broke serve at love in the ninth game earning a chance to serve for the match at 5-4. Djokovic held at love with a service winner in the 10th game.
“I don’t want to take anything away from the performance. He didn’t drop the level. He didn’t drop the level. Maybe in the third set a few games he did a bit, but he was playing at a very high level and credit to him for that performance. If he would be the winner tonight, it would be absolutely deserved. I started off well but I ran out of steam. I have been struggling in the last couple of days with my stomach, and I just did not feel myself at all. I was just trying to hold my serve and get to a tie-break, which happened in the second set. I got lucky on a couple of shots there. It could have easily gone his way, but overall I played a good tie-break and I started to feel better in the third set. I am really glad to overcome this challenge”, said Djokovic.
Griekspoor moved up to world number 21 in the ATP Live Ranking.
