January 19, (THEWILL) – In a hard-fought match that saw both players dealing with injuries, Novak Djokovic, the nine-time champion of the Australian Open, defeated qualifier, Enzo Couacaud, in four sets, 6-1 6-7(5) 6-2 6-0.
The match, which took place at the Rod Laver Arena, saw Couacaud roll his ankle in the first set, leading to a medical time-out. Djokovic also required treatment on a heavily-strapped leg in the second set. To their credit, they endeavoured to see the game out.
In typical fashion, Djokovic dominated in the first set, but Couacaud battled on and managed to force a tie-break in the second set. He saved two break points to move 6-5 ahead but ultimately lost the tie-break. Djokovic then took control of the match in the third set, winning it 6-2, and wrapped up the fourth set with a “bagel” for the win.
During the match, Djokovic had to deal with a disruptive spectator, who he claimed was “drunk out of his mind” while appealing to the umpire to get the fan out. Eventually, the distributor was ejected from the arena.
Djokovic’s victory, which came in two hours and 55 minutes, sets up a third-round match against either Dominik Koepfer or Pablo Cuevas.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
