Djokovic Cruises Through Tokyo Opener
Serbian star Novak Djokovic continued his quest for a historic Golden Grand Slam as he moved past Hugo Dellien 6-2, 6-2 on Saturday to reach the second round of the Tokyo Olympics.
The top seed has won the first three major championships of the year and drew level with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on 20 Grand Slam titles after triumphing at Wimbledon. Only WTA Tour legend Stefanie Graf has won a gold medal and all four majors in one season, achieving this in 1988.
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Djokovic did not face a break point against the Bolivian as he advanced in 63 minutes. The 34-year-old will next face big-hitter Jan-Lennard Struff after the German triumphed against Brazilian Thiago Monteiro 6-3, 6-4.
Daniil Medvedev had to work hard on Saturday, but he advanced to the second round with a 6-4, 7-6(8) victory against Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik.
The second seed saved three of the four break points he faced to triumph after one hour and 38 minutes. The ROC's Medvedev now leads the pair's ATP Head2Head series 3-0, and he has won all seven of their sets.
The World No. 2 will next play Indian Sumit Nagal, who outlasted Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-4. This is Medvedev's first appearance in the Olympics.
Aslan Karatsev also advanced as he defeated American Tommy Paul 6-3, 6-2 in 76 minutes. The World No. 24 won 87 per cent (27/31) of his first-service points to set up a meeting with Frenchman Jeremy Chardy, who overcame Chilean Marcelo Tomas Barrios Vera 6-1, 7-6(4).The 16th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina was in action, and he ousted Portugal's Pedro Sousa 6-3, 6-0. The Spaniard will try to maintain his level against Aussie John Millman, who eliminated #NextGenATP Italian Lorenzo Musetti 6-3, 6-4.
There were also wins for France’s Ugo Humbert, Italian Fabio Fognini, and Croatian Marin Cilic. Humbert beat Spaniard Pablo Andujar 7-6(3), 6-1, while Fognini downed Japan’s Yuichi Sugita 6-4, 6-3. Cilic saved one match point to overcome Brazilian Joao Menezes 6-7(5), 7-5, 7-6(7).