Djokovic during their second round meeting in Australia /
Second round
The Serbian carried out his match against Couacaud, where he needed medical attention for his hamstring discomfort; Párrizas and Bautista advance, Davidovich and Carreño fall
Novak Djokovic is already in the third round of the Australian Open after beating Enzo Couacaud (6-1, 6-7, 6-2 and 6-0). The Serbian tennis player, who entered the tournament with hamstring discomfort in his left leg, required medical assistance in the second set, a set that he lost in the tie-break. The ailments diminished as the match progressed and Djokovic recovered his usual level of play to beat the Frenchman in four sets. His rival in the third round will be the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov.
In Spanish key, one of lime and another of sand. Nuria Párrizas defeated the Russian Potapova in two sets (6-3 and 6-2), and will face Donna Vekic in the third round. The woman from Granada has not dropped a set in the tournament and thus equals her positive result last year in Melbourne. Roberto Bautista also took his match forward, not without suffering, after coming back two sets against American Brandon Holt (4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 and 6-2), and will face the winner of the match between Andy Murray and Thanasi Kokkinakis.
Pablo Carreño and Alejandro Davidovich did not have the same luck, who fell in two separate marathons after having their matches on track. The Andalusian succumbed to Tommy Paul (6-2, 2-6, 6-7, 6-3 and 6-4). Benjamin Bonzi has been the executioner of Pablo Carreño in a dramatic match for the Asturian, who won by two sets to nil. The match was decided in the super tie-break of the fifth set, falling on the French side (4-6, 4-6, 7-6, 6-1 and 7-6).
Only three Spaniards will play the third round of the Australian Open (Bautista, Bucsa and Párrizas). In the men’s draw it is the worst data for Spanish tennis in this century. Since 1999 we had two or more players in the third round in Australia. A worrisome balance for the Navy.
Paved path for Djokovic
Carnage of favorites in the men’s draw and especially for the Serb, who will have some favorable matches to go far in a Grand Slam that he has already won nine times. Casper Ruud, the number two seed in the tournament, fell in the second round against the American Jenson Brooksby (6-3, 7-5, 6-7 and 6-2). Taylor Fritz, who was in shape for the first Grand Slam of the season, was also eliminated in a five-set match against local tennis player Alexei Popyrin (6-7, 7-6, 6-4, 6-7 and 6-2 ).
The defeat of Alexander Zverev against Michael Mmoh (6-7, 6-4, 6-3 and 6-2) also stands out, in a match that showed the lack of rhythm of the German tennis player, in his first major tournament after more than six months out due to torn ligaments in his right ankle, an injury produced in the Roland Garros semifinals against Rafa Nadal.
