May 14, (THEWILL) – World number one, Novak Djokovic, faced a tough test in his bid for a seventh Rome title as he defeated Grigor Dimitrov, in three sets to advance to the Italian Open last 16.
The top seed clinched a 6-3 4-6 6-1 victory in two hours and 19 minutes, setting up a clash with British number one, Cameron Norrie or Marton Fucsovics, in the next round. Djokovic is focused on building fitness and form ahead of the French Open later this month, where he will aim for an outright record 23rd Grand Slam in Paris.
The Serbian encountered a challenging match against Dimitrov, who came back from a set and a breakdown to force a decider before eventually succumbing. Both players produced seven aces in a fiercely-contested clash, but Dimitrov’s tally of 23 unforced errors proved costly. Djokovic came into the encounter with a commanding 10-1 record over Dimitrov, but their head-to-head on clay was 1-1.
The defending champion had to fight hard to continue his remarkable record in the Eternal City, where he has never failed to make it to the quarter-finals in 16 previous appearances at the ATP Masters 1000 event. Despite facing some adversity, Djokovic dug deep to secure a dominating 38-minute decider, showcasing the skills that have made him a 22-time Grand Slam winner.
The match lasted two hours and 19 minutes, with Djokovic clinching a hard-fought three-setter. A calamitous start that saw him double-fault and commit unforced errors nearly ruined it but Djokovic composed himself and rebounded, winning the next four games and breaking Dimitrov twice.
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.
