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Novak Djokovic, who beat Diego Schwartzman, 7-5, 6-3, in Rome on Monday to win a record 36th ATP Masters title, is heading to Paris as concerned as everyone else in the game that at least two players Attempting to qualify for the French Open tested positive for Covid-19.
The US Open nearly escaped the cloud of the pandemic in New York, but a minor outbreak in the Roland Garros locker room during qualifying this week has clouded the final blow of the season, scheduled to begin Sunday against the backdrop. of an upward curve of the virus throughout France.
The French Tennis Federation declined to confirm the identity of the players on Monday despite the names circulating in the Spanish press. Those eliminated from the list of players for seven days were the Spanish Bernabé Zapata Miralles, the Serbian Pedja Krstin and the Bosnian Damir Dzumhur, who lost to Djokovic in the first round of the US Open. The FFT said a qualified woman had also tested positive, but did not name the individual.
A year ago, Schwartzman led Djokovic to three competitive sets in the semi-finals in Rome, then lost to him in straight sets in the fourth round of the 2020 Australian Open. The Argentine started the final as a determined underdog in a drizzle windy on a cool afternoon. However, Schwartzman, who lost in five sets to Cam Norrie in the first round of the recent US Open, broke twice to lead 3-0 after 20 minutes, intimidating the world number one on the baseline with groundstrokes. Piercing, wide and deep, as he had done against the underrated Rafael Nadal in the semifinals.
When Djokovic found a rhythm, Schwartzman, legs tired from a difficult season, lost concentration. Djokovic leveled at three and held off his opponent’s strong and uneven challenge to take the first set in one hour and 10 minutes. The second was faster but followed a similar pattern as Schwartzman pushed Djokovic to the finish. He saved two of three match points before pushing off an overheated final forehand response in the run to Djokovic’s umpteenth pitch.
“It was a very challenging week,” said the five-time champion from Rome. “I don’t think I played my best tennis all week, but I found it when I needed it, that fifth gear. Now for Paris. “
The women’s final ended on an anticlimax when defending champion Karolina Pliskova had to give up crying over a back injury after half an hour, handing the title to Simona Halep, who was 6-0, 2-1 up.
When asked about the health issue in Paris, where he won the first of his two slams in 2018, Halep said: “Of course it worries me, but I’m sure action will be taken there and we will be safe enough to play. . When I get there, I’ll feel better. “
