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ROME – Novak Djokovic performed better on Wednesday in his first game since being suspended from the US Open.
The top-ranked Serbian was mostly courteous to the chair umpire and had no interaction with the linesmen during the 6-3, 6-2 win over local wild card Salvatore Caruso in his opener at the Italian Open.
Also on Wednesday, nine-time Rome champion Rafael Nadal made a solid return to competition after a seven-month absence by beating US Open semifinalist Pablo Carreño Bustam 6-1, 6-1.
Nadal had not played a game since winning a title in Acapulco, Mexico, in February, having decided not to play the US Open due to travel concerns amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Djokovic’s performance stands in stark contrast to the scene in New York 10 days ago, when he was disqualified for inadvertently hitting a linesman in the throat with a ball. Djokovic said earlier this week that the incident taught him “a great lesson.”
“In fact, I was looking forward to playing again as soon as possible after what happened in New York,” Djokovic said. “Because I feel that the feeling on the court should be positive, and I need to eliminate anything that could cause me some kind of problem, if there is something.”
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When the referee came down to inspect a ball mark on the red clay early in the first set and annulled in favor of Caruso, Djokovic simply replied, “Yes,” and erased the mark with his red sneaker.
When Caruso impressed him (the Italian hit 13 winners to Djokovic’s 12), Djokovic said “Bravo.”
“It was a hot day against Caruso who already played three games here, a clay court specialist. It was a very good test for me,” said Djokovic. “I am very satisfied with the way I handled myself in the important moments.”
Djokovic’s only moment of irritation came during the third game of the second set, which went to two seven times before Djokovic finally broke Caruso’s serve. As the game progressed, Djokovic seemed annoyed by the noise from the crowd, despite the fact that the Foro Italico is empty of fans this year due to the pandemic.
The only people inside the stadium were the coaches and other people who worked on the tournament.
“Which?” the referee asked Djokovic, trying to figure out who was bothering him.
Djokovic replied dryly: “There are 10 people in the stands.”
Afterward, Djokovic explained: “It was very, very quiet, which is very unusual for what we are used to here in Rome, which has one of the loudest and most energetic crowd atmospheres on the tour. But there was someone in the hall of it. stadium he was talking about – about five, six people. “
After winning, Djokovic laughed to himself as he held his usual on-court celebration, waving his arms to all four sides of the Campo Centrale stands.
“I miss the crowd,” he said. “Italy has a beautiful tradition in tennis and this tournament has been around for many years. It’s a bit strange.”
Djokovic, four-time champion of Rome, will face his compatriot Filip Krajinovic, who beat Italian qualifier Marco Cecchinato 6-4, 6-1.
“Filip is someone with whom I am very close for many years. I have been trying to guide him for the last seven or eight years,” Djokovic said. “I am very, very happy that he is doing well.”
Nadal was in control from the beginning and closed the first set with two aces in a row, one wide and one for the T. The match ended in 73 minutes.
“It was a perfect start for me,” Nadal said. “I played solid with good shots on the forehand and backhand. I didn’t expect to play that well.”
The 19-time Grand Slam champion even found a solution to the ball boy service ban by bringing not one, but two towels to the back of the court at each change, placing a large, bathroom-sized version in the prepared box. players and the other in an empty linesman’s chair.
In other second-round matches, Italian teenager Jannik Sinner beat third-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-1, 6-7 (9), 6-2 in a meeting of the last two Next Gen ATP Finals champions; Roma resident Matteo Berrettini defeated Argentina Federico Coria 7-5, 6-1; and wild card Stefano Travaglia eliminated US Open quarterfinalist Borna Coric 7-6 (2), 7-5 on a solid day for the host nation.
Additionally, Marin Cilic beat sixth seed David Goffin 6-2, 6-2.
In the women’s tournament, first seed Simona Halep defeated Italian guest Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 6-4 and defending champion Karolina Pliskova eliminated Czech compatriot Barbora Strycova 6-3, 6-3.
Playing four days after her second place finish at the US Open, Victoria Azarenka dispatched 1999 Rome champion Venus Williams 7-6 (7), 6-2 in the only first round match of the day.
Later, Williams consoled himself by taking his dog for a walk around the vacant grounds.
