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The world number one beats Musetti in the first round of the tournament by a double 6-3
The return of Novak Djokovic to the tracks following his controversial absence at the Australian Open for his decision to do not get vaccinated. In his first official match in 80 days, the number one in the world achieved a solid victory once morest Lorenzo Musetti (6-3, 6-3) at its premiere at Dubai ATP 500.
The first game of 2022 ⚡@DjokerNole defeats Musetti 6-3 6-3 in his debut in the @DDFTennis ????@TennisTV pic.twitter.com/pwsTQIKwdS
— ATP Tour en Español (@ATPTour_ES) February 21, 2022
The Serbian tennis player was very concentrated at all times and knocked down the young man without any problems Italian 19 years old in an hour and a quarter of the game. The Balkan did not show any inactivity and will face the winner of the duel between Khachanov and De Minaur.
The atmósfera del Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium was invaded by the sequels still present of everything generated by the Serbian outside the competition. The refusal to get vaccinated, the commotion in Melbourne, the ban on playing the first big of the year and an uncertain future, conditioned by the health requirements of each place and by his particular position.
not mandatory inoculation once morest covid in Arab Emirates. Only one PCR test 72 hours before arrival. A regulation that Djokovic was able to face without problems to get into circulation on the circuit.
Initial tension
The still number one in the world, a condition that is at stake at the same time in Dubai and Acapulco, with the applicant Daniil Medvedev attentive, aware of the situation. The tension, especially at the beginning, was reflected in a face that might not hide an affected state of mind.
He was stiff at the beginning. It was hard for him to put aside the feeling of being watched, of being judged. A feeling that has dragged on since he decided to deal with Australia’s regulations last January. Price of any media leader.
Precedent at Roland Garros
The passing of the points and the games relieved the Balkan, who was companies in many moments, competitive as always and sometimes imprecise. Few. He had not played Nole since last December 3when he played the last match of the Davis Cup semifinals once morest the Croatian Marin Cilic. On the circuit, his last presence is more distant. In November. Since the ATP Finals, when he fell once morest the German Alexander Zverev.
Djokovic had already played once morest the Italian at Roland Garros, on land, in 2021. The Serbian tennis player suffered that time, who suddenly found himself with two sets handicap that he came to balance before the 19-year-old from Alpine decided to get out of the game exhausted by the effort.
solid on serve
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Musetti is one of the referents of the ‘Next Gen’. A rising value. Still without titles but with relevant matches. Uncomfortable for the rival. At 19 years old, he did not take advantage of his rival’s doubts at certain times. He got several occasions to break Djokovic’s serve, but he mightn’t.
It was in the serve in which the Balkan was more solid and got him out of more than one trouble. It served Djokovic by keeping the advantage he got with breaks in each of the sets to win the match and fend off the Italian’s reaction.
