Italian Open: Djokovic and Nadal return with victories in Rome

ROME (AFP) – Defending champion Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic returned with victories at the Italian Open on Wednesday and the top two men’s seeds advanced to the third round of the clay court tournament in Rome.

Nadal, a nine-time winner, swept his compatriot Pablo Carreño Busta 6-1, 6-1 in his first game in more than six months, played behind closed doors at the Foro Italico.

The world number two has not played since winning in Acapulco in late February, opting to skip the US hard court tour amid coronavirus concerns.

“It was a good feeling to go out,” said Nadal, 34.

“It’s not beautiful, the feeling of playing without the spectators, because the energy of the fans is impossible to describe.

But for me, at least, today was a very positive comeback.

“I played a very solid and serious game and doing many things very well, very happy.”

Nadal gave only one break point chance to his 18th-ranked rival, who showed signs of fatigue as they reached the US Open semifinals.

Nadal is preparing for his bid for a 13th French Open title, though he emphasized: “I never take Rome as preparation for anything else.”

Previously, Djokovic edged out Italian guest Salvatore Caruso 6-3, 6-2 after his unbeaten record this season ended with a knockout US Open for accidentally hitting a linesman with a ball hit out of frustration.

“I didn’t feel like I had mental or emotional blocks or drama playing a game today,” said the world’s number one.

Djokovic, who had said he had learned a “great lesson”, was eager to move on in Rome.

The 33-year-old jokingly greeted an imaginary crowd in an empty Central Court due to the strict coronavirus measures.

Only a few noisy workers managed to make the 17-time Grand Slam winner nervous after losing break points.

“I don’t know who it was, but it was a noise that came from there during points.

“That’s the only thing that we, me and Caruso, also told the chair umpire.”

Djokovic picked up where he left off before his departure from the US Open, having won the Cincinnati Masters on the same courts at Flushing Meadows.

“It was a very good test for me. I am very satisfied with the way I handled myself in the important moments, ”said Djokovic, who has reached nine finals in Rome and won four.

He will then face Serbian Filip Krajinovic, ranked number 29, for a place in the quarterfinals.

– Halep, Azarenka advances –

The third seed, Stefanos Tsitsipas, fell to the Italian teenager Jannik Sinner 6-1, 6-7 (9/11), 6-2, and the sixth seed, the Belgian David Goffin, also went 6-2, 6-2 against Croatian Marin Cilic.

Simona Halep, the female seed, returned a month after winning in Prague to beat Italy’s Jasmine Paolini, who is ranked 99th, 6-3, 6-4.

“It was a bit difficult to get into the rhythm and relax,” said the 28-year-old Romanian, who skipped the US Open but is preparing for an offer for a second French Open title later this month.

The world number two, a two-time finalist in Rome, will face the American Amanda Anisimova or the Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska.

US Open finalist Victoria Azarenka ignored the move from the hard court to the clay surface to beat American Venus Williams 7-6 (9/7), 6-2, in her first round match.

Belarusian Azarenka will play third-seeded American Sofia Kenin, the reigning Australian Open champion, for a place in the third round.

Swiss sixth-seeded Belinda Bencic fell 6-3, 6-1 in her second-round match to Danka Kovinic, 86th-ranked from Montenegro.