Top seed and 2011 champion Novak Djokovic began his quest for a second Mutua Madrid Open crown and 29th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title on Wednesday against the Next Generation star Borna Coric.
Novak broke twice in the first set and once in the second to advance – 6-2, 6-4 in 78 minutes.
The Serbian ace won 85 per cent of his first-serve points and was 6/7 on net approaches.
“It was a satisfying performance against a young player that I have never played against, somebody who is in form,” Djokovic said. “I watched his match against Almagro who won a tournament last week, and he beat him comfortably. That deserves respect. We know each other well. We’ve practiced many times. I do see myself in him a little bit. We play a similar style. He’s a great fighter. For his age, he’s quite mature and mentally tough. Today was the first official match we’ve played against each other, I’m happy with my performance. It was a fun match to be part of.”
Match statistics: aces (2-4), double faults (4-0), winners (16-11), unforced errors (14-23).
Novak next faces no.15 seed Roberto Bautista Agut (3-0 H2H). The Spaniard progressed with a 6-3, 5-7, 7-5 victory over his compatriot Feliciano Lopez.
Photo: Getty Images
