Mirra Andreeva, Russian teen sensation, pulled off a major giant-killing as she bounced out Ons Jabeur 6-0, 6-2 in the second round of the Australian Open on Wednesday. There was no such calamity in store for Novak Djokovic though, as the top seed and icon came through a stiff second round test against Alexei Popyrin. Djokovic is far from playing his best tennis but still knows how to win these tricky rounds Down Under.
The queen of the day was certainly Andreeva, as the cherubic 16-year-old came out swinging. By her own admission, she is a fan of Jabeur, the former Wimbledon finalist. On court, however, the fandom vanished and whacking the foe became the theme as the contest progressed.
Andreeva did that, showing tremendous spunk to convert five break points and essay 13 winners that left Jabeur in a daze. “I honestly didn’t expect that from myself,” said Andreeva later.
Tennis is about consistency, rhythm and stringing together the big points. On this day, Jabeur the face of the Arab world in women’s tennis, looked desperately off-colour.
For her part, Andreeva said she was nervous before the match. On court, she looked composed, her game simple and capable of beating a player she has idolised for various reasons. Ranked No. 47 in the world, Andreeva is still new to the sport. But then, on the big stage, what matters is producing good play and ensuring there is nothing to lose. She has certainly shown she can grab headlines.
For the Latest Sports News: Click Here
If Andreeva was in full flow, Djokovic, at the other end of the experience spectrum, was still a bit rusty. The good part – his unforced errors were fewer compared to the first round. At the Rod Laver Arena, he was needled by one fan as well. Usually, Djokovic does not respond to such things. But on Wednesday, Djokovic gestured to the fan to come down and say what he wanted to his face!
From there on, Djokovic was in business mode. To have won his 30th match on the trot in Melbourne is mind-boggling. Atter all, when Popyrin – born in Sydney to Russian parents – had four set points in the third set, Djokovic looked to be on very thin ice.
But then, he has seen such situations over and over again, and is fully aware the earlier rounds are not easy at a Grand Slam. The Rod Laver Arena is like Djokovic’s own theatre, where he puts on his best act. Night matches mean cooler temperaturs, but Djokovic had to turn on the heat when it mattered.
“He had quite an easy forehand and he missed it,” said Djokovic after the match of his escape at the end of the third set. “I didn’t do anything special, and I was lucky on that point, on that game, to get away. He was the better player, I think, for a set and a half.”
Asked if he is happy with his own tennis, Djokovic was disarmingly frank. “I haven’t been playing my best and am still trying to find my form,” he said. “In the early rounds, you play players that have nothing to lose. I think both my first and second round opponents were great quality tennis players. Hopefully, I’ll be able to build as the tournament progresses.”
For those not well versed with Djokovic’s career, he has faced early trouble at the Australian Open many times in the past. He has a wrist issue as well but exhibited no sign of pain while competing. Maybe, these tough, early matches will scrape some rust off his game. And if that happens, who will be able to stop the match to an 11th Australian Open title?
Also Read: Rohit Sharma Silences Naysayers, Vindicates Selectors