Twenty-two-year-old Czech tennis player Tomáš Macháč lost 3:6, 6:3 and 6:7 to Novak Djokovic in the first round of the tournament in Dubai after a great fight. He resisted the world number one for two and a half hours.
Macháč secured his participation in the main part in the qualification, while Djokovic entered the first duel after his triumph at the Australian Open in January. And after the first set, it looked like a clear progression for the thirty-five-year-old Serb.
But the Czech youngster, who is ranked 130th in the rankings, improved and was a balanced opponent for the winners of a record 22 Grand Slams. Macháč equalized and erased the 1:4 loss in the deciding set.
But the tie-break already belonged to the five-time winner from Dubai, who won the shortened game 7:1. Even so, Macháč was escorted off the court with applause not only by the spectators in the stands, but also by Djokovic.
“He certainly didn’t play like the 130th player in the world, he deserves a big round of applause,” the Serbian tennis player said in a televised interview. “He gave me all kinds of problems, but I managed to switch gears even more and I coped with it,” added Djokovic, who will face Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor in the second round.
Dubai Men’s Tennis Tournament (hard court, $3,020,535 endowment):
Singles – 1st round: Djokovic (1-Serb.) – Machac (Czech Republic) 6:3, 3:6, 7:6 (7:1), Medvedev (3-Rus.) – Arnaldi (It.) 6:4, 6:2, Bublik (Kaz.) – Lazarov (Bulg .) 6:1, 1:0 scratch, Auger-Aliassime (4-Can.) – Cressy (USA) 7:6 (7:4), 3:6, 6:3, Van de Zandschulp (Netherlands) – Khačanov (6-Russia) 7:5, 6:2, Čoric (8-Croatia) – Evans (Britain) 2:2 scratch, O’Connell (Austria) – Ruusuvuori (Finland) 7:5, 6:4, M. Ymer (Swed.) – Passaro (It.) 6:2, 6:3.
