One year after his deportation from Australia, the Serbian star Novak Djokovic He starred this Tuesday in a triumphant return to the “most special” track of his life with a sober 6-3, 6-4, 6-0 victory against the Spanish Roberto Carballés.
Djokovic, deported in 2022 for not being vaccinated against covid-19, was able to return to Melbourne this year, to the Australian Open, in search of a tenth title in this tournament to equal the record of 22 Grand Slams held by Spanish Rafael Nadal.
“I am very happy to be back in Australia and on the track where I have had the greatest successes of my career,” said the Serbian, who has not lost in this Grand Slam for 1,821 days. “Definitely, this track is the most special in my life and I couldn’t ask for a better start to the tournament,” added Djokovic, who was accompanied in the stands by his parents.
Spurred on by a crowd of Serbian flags at Rod Laver Arena, Djokovic opened his journey to an eventual 10th Melbourne title with a direct kick, which wowed the fans.
Despite being number 75 in the world ranking, the Spaniard did not resign himself to the role of guest at the party of the current number 5 in the world, who he surprised by placing himself with 0-40 to break with a 2-2 score.
However, ‘Nole’ brought out his quality with a volley and a winning forehand which, added to an unforced error by Carvallés, solved the bad situation. Right after, he endorsed from the rest a blank game to the Spanish, which was final.
In the second set, Carballés maintained his intensity, without giving a ball for loss and making the Serbian run in several exchanges who, in a climb to pick up a drop shot in the net, touched his right thigh bandaged due to an injury.
But Djokovic withstood the onslaught and, aided by the net on a couple of decisive balls, got a break in the seventh game to clinch the second set.
“The second set was up and down and credit goes to him for fighting,” Djokovic said.
Now with the game downhill and his rival resigned, the Serbian freed himself with an exhibition of blows and climbs to the net to win the last set in just 24 minutes, in which Carballés could only score four points.
In his statements, Djokovic acknowledged that he started the match somewhat stiff to protect the leg that was injured in a previous tournament in Adelaide. «The leg is fine, it is not ideal, but it is coming. Today was a good test”, said the Serb, who was satisfied for having finished the game at a good level.
“At the beginning I was somewhat rigid” to protect my leg, “it took me a bit of time to get into the game”, admitted ‘Nole’.
In the second round, Djokovic will face the winner of the match between the Frenchman Enzo Couacaud and the Bolivian Hugo Dellien, rescheduled for Wednesday due to rain.
