Djokovic has to go deep again for victory in Belgrade | Tennis

He defeated Miomir Kecmanovic in three sets too strong: 4-6, 6-3 and 6-3. The Serb was a set and a break behind, but straightened his back the old-fashioned way.

The first set came nole barely adapting and so he had to watch passively: 6-4. Immediately in the second set he was broken again, but his resistance was not yet. Broke moments later Djoko back, cheered on by his home crowd. The Serb is usually at his best when cornered. With a 4-3 lead, he got a breakpoint, but he didn’t take it. At the next chance, yes. He took the set 6-3.

In the third and deciding set it was evenly matched, but a sublime game by Djokovic on Kecmanovic’s service gave him the important break: 4-3. At 5-3 on his opponent’s serve, he came up with a nice backhand on match point. The game ended with another brilliant point.

Novak Djokovic fought back

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go deep

Djokovic already escaped elimination in the second round, when he had to go very deep to beat his compatriot Laslo Djere: 2-6 7-6 (6) 7-6 (4). The match on the center court of the Novak Center lasted almost 3.5 hours.

The Serb won the Belgrade Open in 2009 and 2011. Last year, Italian Matteo Berrettini triumphed on the clay court in the Serbian capital.

vaccinate

Djokovic was recently knocked out at the Monte Carlo masters tournament by Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who then advanced to the final. It was only the second tournament this season for Djokovic, who does not want to be vaccinated against the corona virus and was therefore not welcome at the Australian Open and the masters tournaments in the United States.

The twenty-time grand slam champion can participate in the clay tournament in Rome next month. The president of the Italian tennis federation said on Tuesday that Djokovic, a five-time winner in Rome, is also welcome without vaccination.

Roland Garros will be played on the clay of Paris from May 22 to June 5. Djokovic won the Grand Slam last year.