Djokovic run goes on
Novak Djokovic took advantage of an overnight delay to see off Juan Martin Del Potro 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-2 in the third round of the French Open today for his 42nd consecutive victory.
When the players came off court just after 9pm last night it was very much game on in the tie of the round after 25th seed Del Potro hit back to win the second set and level the match.
But Djokovic was imperious today, breaking the Argentinian’s serve four times to set up another potentially difficult clash against Richard Gasquet in round four.
Djokovic could have considered himself very unfortunate to face an opponent as talented as Del Potro, who lost a titanic semi-final here to Roger Federer in 2009, at such an early stage of the tournament.
A serious wrist injury ruled the former US Open champion out for much of last year and, although he has showed encouraging form this year, his ranking has only climbed as far as 26th.
After both players had missed chances to break right at the start of the match, Djokovic took his opportunity in the fourth game and went on to clinch the third set.
Bizarrely, the set finished amid much jeering, not from the enthralled people in the stands but from the many hundreds outside who, having thought they would be watching the match on Chatrier, were furious at not being allowed in to Suzanne Lenglen.
Djokovic was playing the sort of tennis that has made him arguably the man to beat here but Del Potro had played himself into the match and a double-fault from the second seed gave him a break for 3-1 in the second set.
The Serb piled on the pressure, missing break points in the fifth game and then moving to 15-40 with Del Potro serving for the set. But the 22-year-old promptly sent down two aces followed by two more big serves.
The Argentinian’s huge forehands and high-bouncing serve were causing big problems for Djokovic and the overnight break certainly seemed to play into his hands.
Del Potro had his chances on the resumption, though, including two break points in the fifth game that Djokovic saved, the second after a titanic rally.
And in the next game the world number two took full advantage, moving into a 4-2 lead when Del Potro dumped a tame forehand into the net.
Djokovic was managing to control the rallies in a manner he had found increasingly difficult last night and, after wrapping up the third set, he broke for a 2-1 lead in the fourth when Del Potro threw in a third double-fault at the most inopportune moment.
Three successive breaks only played further into the hands of the Serb, whose winning streak is now longer than Federer’s best from 2006/07, and he clinched victory with a drop shot.
