World number one Novak Djokovic beat the Swiss’ Henri Laaksonen 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 at Court Suzanne Lenglen on Thursday to make the third round at Roland Garros.
“I think I served well. I used my forehand from different parts of the court really well. Solid backhand. Just two very solid matches. I didn’t drop my level too much. I didn’t spend too much time on the court. So all is going in the right direction.” Djokovic said.
The Serbian will face Italian qualifier Salvatore Caruso, has found himself in the main draw after being submitted to the qualifying tournament.
“I’ve never trained [with Caruso],” said Djokovic. “I don’t know much about him, to be honest. I’m going to have to do my homework, do analysis on him.”
“I watched him play a little bit today when I was waiting for my match. I saw he came from qualifications. He won what, now, five matches? So there is a lot of confidence. He has nothing to lose. I’m sure he’s going to be very motivated to play his best.” Djokovic added.
Earlier Thursday, Dominic Thiem avoided the pitfalls of Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik and beat him 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3, 7-5, en route to the third round.
Bublik surprised Thiem with a spoon service in the first set and frustrated Thiem with several dead ends, broken balls and unexpected volley.
Dominic Thiem will face Pablo Cuevas at third round of Roland Garros. (Source:www.heraldlive.com)
The finalist last year at Roland Garros, however, regained his confidence after being broken in the fourth set and served his own medicine on his first match point, making a perfect cushioning.
Thiem will face the next round Pablo Cuevas, another tennis player who has more than one trick in his bag. Cuevas led 7-6 (3), 6-3, 2-1 when Kyle Edmund abdicated due to a left knee injury.
Top Frenchman Gael Monfils, meanwhile, he booked to the third round for the 11th time at Roland Garros by dismissing countryman Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 6-4, 6-4
“I entered very well in into the match. I had a difficult moment in the beginning of the second set with less intensity that enabled him to enter the match, to be more aggressive and to win the break.” Monfils said.
