Novak Djokovic, four-time Rome champion, beat French 35-year-old qualifier Stephane Robert 7-5 7-5 to clinch his 11th consecutive win at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome. Robert opened up a 4-2 lead in the second set but Djokovic bounced back winning five of his next six games to take the second set.
Djokovic saved a break point in the third game before producing a forehand swing volley to hold his serve to love for 4-3.
Djokovic brought up three set points on Robert’s serve in the 12th game and broke serve to 15 to close out the first set on his second set point after 43 minutes when Robert hit a backhand into the net.
Robert hit a forehand return winner down the line to earn a break point in the third game of the second set but hit his forehand return long.
Robert brought up a second break point with a backhand down the line and broke serve for the first time to take a 2-1 lead with a backhand down the line. The Frenchman consolidated his break with a crosscourt forehand for 3-1. Djokovic broke back to draw level to 4-4 when Robert hit his backhand into the net.
Djokovic struck an ace to hold his second consecutive serve to love for 6-5 and served out for the match as Robert made two backhand errors.
Djokovic has reached at least the quarter finals in his nine appearances in his tournament.
Djokovic will face Thomas Bellucci in the third round. Last year Djokovic fought back from one set down to beat Bellucci 5-7 6-2 6-3 to reach the third round of this tournament.
Andy Murray beat Mikhail Kukushkin 6-3 6-3 in 84 minutes to reach the third round at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia at the Foro Italico in Rome. The Dunblane star now leads 4-0 against Kukushkin in their head-to-head matches.
Murray hit 68 percent of his first serve points in and faced just two break points at the end of the second set. The 2012 Olympic champion broke once in the eighth game of the first set for 5-3 and served out to 30 in the next game. Murray got an early break in the second set when Kukushkin hit his netcord with his backhand. He broke again to 30 in the final game to close out the match after 1 hour and 24 minutes.
Murray hit 22 winners to 16 unforced errors to extend his win-loss record to 3-0 against Kukushkin without dropping a set.
Murray played a solid match from the baseline and produced drop-shots and shots under the net.
Murray, who finished runner-up to Novak Djokovic in the Madrid Mutua Open last week, has extended his win-loss record to 18-5 this year. He reached the semifinals in the Foro Italico in 2011 losing to eventual champion Novak Djokovic.
Murray will face either Roberto Bautista Agut or Jeremy Chardy for a spot in the quarter finals.
