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Novak Djokovic survives massive scare to reach quarter-final at Srpska Open 2023

April 20, 2023
3 min read


Novak Djokovic reached the quarter-final of Srpska Open 2023 after surviving a scare against 18-year-old Frenchman Luca Van Assche in a 3-set encounter on Wednesday, April 19.

Novak Djokovic reached the quarterfinals of Srpska Open (AP Photo)

In Short

  • Novak Djokovic reached the quarter-final of the ATP 250 event
  • He dropped the opening set to make a comeback and win the decider
  • Djokovic is bidding to win his 3rd tour-level title of 2023

By India Today Sports DeskWorld No. 1 Novak Djokovic survived a massive scare in the second round of Srpska Open, an ATP 250 event in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday, April 19. Djokovic recovered from dropping the first set to beat 18-year-old Luca Van Assche of France 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-2 in an entertaining match to reach the quarter-finals.

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A day after saying that his elbow was not yet 100 percent, Djokovic was off to a poor start in the first set against the French teenager, who was broken when he was serving for the first set at 5-4. However, Van Assche kept his calm in the tie-breaker and claimed the opening set.

Djokovic raised his game in the second set and took it comfortably but there was more entertainment in the 2nd-round match as the Serb was broken early in the decider. However, Djokovic kept his calm and broke back Van Assche before racing to a comfortable victory in the 3rd set.

Djokovic was making forehand errors in the opening set but once he ironed it out, he dominated the baseline game and pushed his teenage opponent all over the court to clinch a 3-set win.

Djokovic had issues with the pace of the surface at the Srpska Open on Wednesday.

“It wasn’t easy. This would probably rank as the slowest court, and slowest conditions I’ve ever played in, to be honest. I couldn’t penetrate through the court. I couldn’t put any ball past him,” he added.

HAPPY WITH FINISH

Djokovic lauded his opponent for putting on a good show and said he was happy with the way he closed out the match.

The Serb is eyeing a third title on the tour level after his titles at Adelaide and the Australian Open earlier this year. Djokovic suffered a shock third-round exit at Monte Carlo Masters earlier in April.

“He was on every single ball for a set-and-a-half until I started to get some rhythm going,” Djokovic said.

“I’m happy with the way I finished the match. Of course I can always play better, but a win is a win,” he added.

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