In Geneva, Djokovic makes a successful debut, Ruud too

© AFP

Elio Valotto

le 23/05/2024 à 08h49

2 min to read

Baez Djokovic Genève Hanfmann Ofner Ruud

Novak Djokovic didn't make the trip to Switzerland for nothing. After a below-par start to the 2024 season, he came to Geneva to build up his confidence ahead of Roland Garros. For his debut, he didn't have to work very hard. Without shining, he did what was necessary to qualify for the next round, without losing a set (6-3, 6-3 in 1h10).

In a match interrupted by rain, the Serb suffered a slight setback at the start of the second set, but taking advantage of his opponent's instability, he quickly made up lost ground to win the last 6 games of the match and finally take the win. Without necessarily playing his best tennis (17 winners, 7 unforced errors, 3 aces, 3 successful breaks), he was able to apply the pressure when he needed to.

Nole' will probably be hoping to continue his upward trajectory in the next round, where he will meet the winner of the duel between Denis Shapovalov and Tallon Griekspoor (their match having been interrupted when the Canadian was leading 7-6, 3-3 yesterday).

The number 2 seed in the Geneva draw, Casper Ruud, has also qualified for the rest of the tournament. Up against a Sebastian Ofner who played his heart out (23 winners, 9 unforced errors), the ochre lover took a while to get the measure of his opponent. After conceding in the first act, he eventually gained confidence in his strokes, putting more and more weight into his heavy shots. Leaving almost no space for an Austrian without any solutions, he finished the match like a cannonball, not conceding a single break point in the next two sets (4-6, 6-2, 6-2 in 1h47).

Like Novak Djokovic, Ruud is in Switzerland to regain his confidence. After a prodigious start to the season on clay, where he reached the final in Monte-Carlo (beating Djokovic in the semi-finals) and then claimed the title in Barcelona, the Norwegian had a more complicated second half of the season. Surprised by Auger-Aliassime in Madrid (6-4, 7-5), he was upset by Kecmanovic in his first match in Rome (0-6, 6-4, 6-4). For a place in the semi-finals, he will face another surface specialist this Thursday, Sebastian Baez, who defeated Carballes Baena in the eighth round (6-3, 6-0).