ATP Masters Rome: Novak Djokovic - Solid start in front of the Special One
In Novak Djokovic 's opening success at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Rome, football celebrities were also represented with José Mourinho.
by Jens Huiber
last edit:
May 13, 2023, 11:10 am
Novak Djokovic has had a football-intensive week: On Wednesday, the world number one was a guest at the Milan derby, in which Inter against AC was able to create an excellent starting position for the finals in the Champions League. Djokovic also met his old pal Zlatan Ibrahimovic on this occasion.
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On Friday evening Djokovic didn't have to go far to greet football celebrities: Jose Mourinho, the self-proclaimed "Special One" and current coach at AS Roma, came a few steps from the Olympico to the Foro Italico and paid his respects to the defending champion. And of course watched Novak Djokovic's game against Martin Etcheverry.
Mourinho must have liked what he saw there. Because the Portuguese team has always distinguished one thing: merciless efficiency. And Djokovic also showed that against Etcheverry. In the first set, the favorite was behind with a break, which of course never has much meaning with one of the best setbacks in the world. And certainly not on the slow-moving sands of Rome.
Djokovic now against Dimitrov
In the tie-break, Djokovic wiped away a 0: 3 deficit, as has been seen so often from him or the absent Rafael Nadal. If you want to win against these two legends in their normal form, you have to grab the few chances in a match. Etcheverry was not lacking in courage. But in crucial situations, Djokovic usually still brings his best tennis to the court.
Now the second match is against Grigor Dimitrov, who won an aesthetically valuable duel with Stan Wawrinka on Friday. In the on-court interview, Dimitrov gave himself a chance in view of the probable duel with Djokovic, but realistically the Bulgarian can already check the flight connections to his next destination. Of eleven encounters with Djokovic, Dimitrov was only able to win one - but in 2013 at least on clay in Madrid.
Here the single tableau in Rome
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