Novak Djokovic came back to play one match after an absence on the US hard-courts, to win his first challenge at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters 2023. He returned after his last match played on February 27, lost against Daniil Medvedev in Dubai , the world number one beats the Russian, coming from the qualifiers, Gakhov with the result of 7-6, 6-2.
It’s an early game where Djokovic finds himself with a problem: not knowing the characteristics of the opponent, who only entered an important draw in Monte-Carlo. In the fourth game, this obstacle is evident: the astonishment deriving from some shots played by Gakhov, very good at winning hits only with the forehand, are the manifestation of a 40-15 for the Russian on the service of the Serbian in the 2-1.
As always, the Serbian tennis player senses he has to raise the level and recovers that one game: he gets caught up once again on 3-2, this time conceding a break. He immediately recovers the disadvantage but the difficulty remains, with the Grand Slam champion forced to defend himself a lot, too many times, and not to parry some of the Russian’s winning shots.
We get to the tiebreak, where the difference is made by who makes the least mistakes: he responds to the name of Novak Djokovic. The scenario does not change in the second set, with the Grand Slam champion forced to go back and forth on the court, but always with the feeling that Gakhov could have scored a winner.
At 2-2, however, as in the first set, there is another turning point. The Russian is surprised by the Serbian, who finally thanks his opponent for a double fault which gives him the break. The number one in the world rises again and so another break arrives, which allows him to serve for a match that he obtains not without difficulty.
Only after the advantages does he realize and convert the match point. Stefanos Tsitsipas takes advantage of Bonzi’s retirement. While important victories and consequent qualifications arrived, for Alexander Zverev and Andrey Rublev, respectively against Bublik and Munar.
Lorenzo Musetti wins, on his first match in Monte-Carlo. A success in two sets against Miomir Kecmanovic, with a 7-6, 6-0. Positive signals from the number two of Italy, who takes advantage of a Serbian tired from the efforts of the Estoril final and passes to the third round, where he will face Luca Nardi.
First victory for another blue tennis player, who wins his first match in a draw of an ATP 1000 tournament, beating the wild card Valentin Vacherot with a double 7-5, 7-5. Good at not giving up, especially in the second set, after the home player had recovered from the disadvantage.
Below the day-3 highlights:
