Atp 500 Dubai, Novak Djokovic gives in to the black beast Vesely: Medvedev is the new number 1 in the ranking

Vesely sticks an anvil on the uncovered wounds of that distant dance in Montecarlo: in 2016, in fact, Vesely eliminated Djokovic in the round of 32 on clay, with a dizzying 6-4 2-6 6-4. From there, no other cross between the two, separated by a chasm in terms of ranking (they could have met at the 2016 US Open, but Vesely forfeited).

The match report

Djokovic is caught off guard at the start of the 1st set, taking a cold break after two saved break points. The backlash in the fourth game does not allow the Serbian to reverse course: Vesely wins another tug-of-war in the seventh game, snatching the first set of the tournament from the Serbian. As easily predictable, Djokovic increases laps and rotations of shots in the second set: the Serbian collects six consecutive points in the opening, but fails to snatch the opponent’s serve.

Tignificant, Vesely doesn’t let himself be begged to stab Nole on too short blows. The long-awaited decline from the Serbian, therefore, does not show itself at all and Vesely strikes again in the seventh game. At this point, the pressure of the Czech from the baseline becomes almost unmanageable for Nole, who with his back to the wall, and only two games to give up the throne, unleashes the champion’s claw. At 4-5, the Serbian forces Vesely’s hand and finds a vital counterbreak. Vesely plays his cards badly for the immediate break, thus dragging himself towards a high-tension tiebreak. At the final close, however, the unthinkable happens: the Czech flies away at 3-0, and just when Djokovic seems to advance towards the comeback, here is a very expensive double foul by the Serbian. The tiebreak ends 7-4 for Vesely, who indulges in a basin of tears and sweat in front of the stunned audience of Dubai.