(Provided by Tennis World USA)
Novak Djokovic claimed the Madrid Masters title in 2019 and headed to Rome with a boost. World no. 1 and a four-time Foro Italico champion met Denis Shapovalov in the second round, scoring a dominant 6-1, 6-3 triumph in 66 minutes.
Djokovic had the upper hand from start to finish and clinched his second win over Shapovalov from as many encounters in 2019. Novak found the rhythm at one of his favorite courts. He served at 80% and dropped ten points behind the initial shot, never facing a break point.
Denis felt the pressure and cracked under it. He lost half of the points in his games and faced 13 break points. Novak grabbed four return games to control the scoreboard and sail over the finish line in just over an hour. After a great run on the slowest surface in 2018, Shapovalov struggled a year later, experiencing early exits and losing ground ahead of Roland Garros.
Djokovic hit 13 winners and 11 unforced errors, taming his strokes nicely and challenging his rival to repeat that to stay in contention.
Novak Djokovic dropped four games against Denis Shapovalov in Rome 2019.
Denis sprayed 24 unforced errors and stood miles behind Novak in the shortest and mid-range exchanges.
Shapovalov leveled the score at 1-1 with a service winner and denied a break point in the fourth game with a booming serve. However, the young gun hit a double fault on the third break chance to propel Djokovic 3-1 in front.
Novak cemented the lead with a forehand winner in game five and grabbed another break a few minutes later following the rival’s backhand mistake. Djokovic served for the opener in game seven and held at love to clinch the opener 6-1 in 30 minutes and gain a boost.
Denis fended off a break chance at the start of the second set and held with valiant hitting. Novak leveled the score at 1-1 with a service winner and moved 40-0 up on the return in the next one. Shapovalov stayed calm and denied all break points to remain on the positive side.
The Canadian held at 15 in game five with a service winner, and the Serb responded with a hold at love a few minutes later for 3-3. Novak missed seven break points since the start of the set and finally changed that in game seven.
World no. 1 grabbed a break after the rival’s backhand error and held at love in the next one with a forehand winner to open a 5-3 gap. Denis served to stay in the match in game nine and played a loose volley at the net to offer Novak match points.
Djokovic seized the first after the rival’s forehand mistake to kick off the title chase with a commanding victory.
