Unseeded Australian Aleksandar Vukic has pushed Novak Djokovic to a few units, however the world No.1 held on to win his first match again in Indian Wells after a five-year absence.
Djokovic had not competed on the event since 2019, unable to enter the US due to journey restrictions associated to the COVID-19 pandemic, however he acquired a heat welcome from the followers available for the 6-2 5-7 6-3 victory on Saturday (Sunday AEDT).
“It certainly does feel like home,” Djokovic stated in an on-court interview.
“Five years is a very long time for a tennis player.
“They call this tournament ‘Tennis Paradise’ for a reason. It’s so amazing to be part of it as a player and a fan. There’s a great community, great culture, great love for the sport.”
In his first match since falling within the Australian Open semi-finals to eventual champion Jannik Sinner in January, the top-seeded Serbian appeared recent, breaking serve within the opening recreation and capturing the primary set with an ace.
The unseeded Australian discovered his vary together with his highly effective forehand within the second set and eventually broke serve when Djokovic’s backhand up the road narrowly missed its goal.
Vukic fended off three break factors within the subsequent recreation for a 3-0 lead, however Djokovic would break again with an beautiful drop-shot volley to interrupt again and maintain serve for 3-3.
But Djokovic’s twelfth unforced error of the set introduced up set factors, and Vukic hammered a surprising return winner to ship the match to a 3rd set.
In the decider, Djokovic crushed a forehand of his personal that Vukic couldn’t put again into play for a break and 3-2 lead he wouldn’t relinquish, hitting a lob Vukic couldn’t deal with on match level to advance to the third spherical.
Earlier, American Taylor Fritz placed on a serving clinic to beat Alejandro Tabilo 7-6 (7-2) 6-2 of their second-round contest.
The 2022 champion by no means confronted a break level and despatched down his 14th ace on match level to beat the Chilean underneath sunny desert skies earlier than a crowd supporting the San Diego native.
“It’s unreal,” Fritz stated after the win.
“I was coming to this tournament as a kid for a long time and this is my favourite stop of the whole year.
“Just to hear the crowd and the support when I walk out is incredible.”
Tabilo served effectively within the opener, and the tight first set was finally settled in a tiebreak the place Fritz made probably the most of his alternatives.
“I got some looks at second serves in the tiebreaker,” Fritz stated. “Then in the second set I started finding my rhythm, returning serve a little bit better.”
Canadian Milos Raonic withdrew forward of his second-round conflict with seventh seed Holger Rune due to a calf pressure.
The former world No.3 was pressured to withdraw from the Australian Open and Rotterdam with accidents in what has been a tricky begin to the yr for the 33-year-old.
Former champion Cameron Norrie, French teenager Arthur Fils and Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov all progressed in straight units to achieve the third spherical.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
