Djokovic Dominates Tabilo for the First Time and Advances to the Quarterfinals in Athens

Novak Djokovic overcame Alejandro Tabilo, an opponent he had failed to beat in their first two encounters on the ATP tour.

Djokovic was making his big return to competition. Present at the Six Kings Slam after playing in the semifinals of the Shanghai Masters 1000, the Serbian, who withdrew from Paris last week, opted to play the ATP 250 tournament in Athens.

Exempt from the first round, the 38-year-old player made his entry in the round of 16 against Alejandro Tabilo. The Chilean had dominated Djokovic twice in as many meetings, at the Masters 1000 in Rome last year (6-2, 6-3) and in the second round of Monte-Carlo this season (6-3, 6-4).

To reach the round of 16, the world number 82 had to work hard in the first round against Adam Walton (7-6, 6-7, 7-5 in 3 hours and 2 minutes of play). Tabilo, a 28-year-old left-hander, hoped to maintain his invincibility against the Serbian, but the task was not going to be easy.

The first set was balanced, with neither man finding the key to breaking the other's serve. In the tie-break, as is often the case, it was Djokovic who was the more solid (7 points to 3).

The accumulation of efforts made by Tabilo in the previous round and then today in the first set eventually took its toll. The battle of the first set gave way to a real domination by the former world number 1, who ultimately pulled away decisively on the scoreboard (7-6, 6-1 in 1 hour and 39 minutes).

Djokovic, who had not won a single set in two matches against the Chilean, finally secured his first victory over him. In the quarterfinals on Thursday, he will face Nuno Borges or Eliot Spizzirri.