WIMBLEDON, England — Novak Djokovic wore a grey sleeve on his surgically repaired proper knee whereas successful his first-round match at Wimbledon on Tuesday with out an excessive amount of of a take a look at.
Taking part in his first match since tearing the meniscus in his knee on the French Open on June 3, Djokovic by no means confronted a break level alongside the way in which to a 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 victory over qualifier Vit Kopriva in underneath two hours on Centre Courtroom.
“More than happy with the way in which I felt on the courtroom. Clearly, coming into Wimbledon this yr was little bit of various circumstances for me, due to the knee. I did not understand how all the pieces was going to unfold on the courtroom, actually,” Djokovic mentioned. “Follow classes are fairly totally different from official match play. I am simply extraordinarily glad [with] the way in which I felt immediately, the way in which I performed.”
He gathered 15 break probabilities, changing six, and delivered his typical clear strokes, ending with twice as many winners (32) as unforced errors (16).
There have been loads of fast factors, which in all probability was at the very least partially a results of Djokovic attempting to not spend an excessive amount of time operating greater than he wanted to. He ended up taking 68 of the 91 exchanges that lasted 4 or fewer strokes.
“I attempted to essentially give attention to the sport and not likely assume an excessive amount of concerning the knee,” Djokovic mentioned. “The whole lot I may probably do, I’ve completed, together with my staff, within the final 3½ weeks with the intention to give myself an opportunity to have the ability to play.”
Djokovic, 37, has gained seven of his males’s-record 24 Grand Slam titles on the All England Membership and was the runner-up to Carlos Alcaraz final yr.
Djokovic harm his knee throughout a five-set win at Roland Garros and pulled out of that match, then had surgical procedure in Paris on June 5. Lower than a month later, he was again in motion and taking step one towards what he hopes could be an eighth championship at Wimbledon, which might tie Roger Federer’s mark for essentially the most by a person.
“If it was for some other match, I in all probability would not threat it, would not rush it as a lot,” Djokovic mentioned. “I simply love Wimbledon.”
Chatting with the group after the match, Djokovic thanked his surgeon, saying: “With out him doing his job nicely, issues could be a bit sophisticated.”
He additionally famous Andy Murray’s withdrawal on Tuesday, just a little greater than per week after the participant from Scotland had a process to take away a cyst from his backbone. Murray, 37, gained two of his three main trophies at Wimbledon.
“A fantastic blow to the match. It is unlucky, actually,” Djokovic mentioned. “Nice respect to him [for] all he has completed on this match and this sport. I simply hope he’ll have the ability to end his profession on his phrases.”
Elsewhere within the males’s draw, sixth-seed Andrey Rublev crashed out of the primary spherical on Tuesday, dropping 6-4 5-7 6-2 7-6 (5) to world No.122 Francisco Comesana of Argentina, who was enjoying his first match at a Grand Slam.
Rublev, a quarterfinalist final yr earlier than being defeated by Djokovic, ceaselessly misplaced his mood, screamed out loud and ranted at his courtside teaching staff.
At one level within the third set the 26-year-old, who additionally had a meltdown on the French Open in Might, smashed his racket repeatedly over his knee, leaving it bloody and bruised for the remainder of the match.
“I did not behave immediately as in Paris, however nonetheless I may do significantly better. This isn’t the way in which. After all it is the principle precedence to find a way throughout all of the match to be optimistic,” he advised reporters, whereas acknowledging his opponent’s nice efficiency.
“I had plenty of probabilities, plenty of alternatives. I did not make them. The man was enjoying very well, 10-points mentality, and he need to win,” he mentioned.
Comesana, 23, who was enjoying solely his second grass courtroom match at any stage, skilled or junior, performed with poise and management from the beginning. He broke Rublev for a 3-2 lead within the first set after which held to win it, a lot to the frustration of Rublev.
Rublev broke again early within the second and commenced to say himself, ceaselessly wrong-footing Comesana or drawing him into lengthy rallies and overpowering him with highly effective forehand photographs.
Comesana fought his means again from three set factors down twice within the second set earlier than dropping it.
However the Argentinian, who fired down 21 aces in all, powered by means of the rain-interrupted third set and narrowly outdid Rublev for guile and accuracy within the fourth earlier than drawing an unforced error from the Russian to complete the match in fashion.
“I dreamed to play right here. I am so comfortable I do not know what to say now,” he mentioned in an on-court interview.
Jack Draper, the British No. 1, wanted 5 units to get by Swedish qualifier Elias Ymer.
The 22-year-old Draper outlasted Ymer on Heart Courtroom, 3-6 6-3 6-3 4-6 6-3, to advance to the second spherical.
After dropping the primary set, Draper turned the match in his favor by successful the following two units and appeared heading in the right direction for a fast end. However Draper misplaced his focus and dropped serve at 4-4 within the fourth set, permitting Ymer to tug the match right into a fifth set.
After a delay whereas the roof was closed and lights turned on, Draper regained his composure and closed out Ymer within the fifth.
Data from the Related Press and Reuters was used on this report.