22. 02. 2010. ·
Second-seeded Novak Djokovic began his title defence in Dubai with straight sets win over world no.47 Spaniard Guillermo Garcia -Lopez 6-4, 6-4 in 1 hour and 38 minutes.
Novak won the opening game of the match without dropping a point. He broke his opponent’s service already in the second game, but the Spaniard broke back immediately and then held to level the score. Djokovic made a crucial break in the tenth game to take the set 6-4 in 45 minutes.
Nole rallied to a 5-0 lead in the second set, breaking Guillermo’s serve twice. The Spaniard started playing better and used Novak’s lapse of concentration to fight back for 5-4. Garcia-Lopez was serving to level and stay in the match, but the 22-year-old Serb earned two break points and used the second to close the set and match 6-4.
Djokovic will next play against his compatriot Viktor Troicki. The world no.35 defeated German wildcard Reiner Schuettler 6-3, 6-4. Nole leads their head-to heads 2-1.
Novak played in doubles competition in pair with fellow Serbian Dusan Vemic. They lost their first round match to Paul Hanley (AUS) and Simon Aspelin (SWE) 4-6, 3-6.
