Novak Djokovic Dominates Roman Safiullin to Advance at Monte Carlo Masters

World number one Novak Djokovic showcased his formidable form at the Monte Carlo Masters, securing an impressive 6-1, 6-2 victory over Russia’s Roman Safiullin to advance to the third round. Despite a rain-delayed start to the tournament on Tuesday, Djokovic delivered a commanding performance, breaking Safiullin’s serve multiple times in both sets to seal a convincing win.

Reflecting on his performance, Djokovic expressed satisfaction with his performance, highlighting his strong start to the clay season. The Serbian tennis ace emphasized his dominance throughout the match, noting that he had break points even in the games he lost.

Djokovic’s victory comes on the heels of his historic achievement of becoming the oldest number one ranked singles player in ATP rankings history, surpassing Roger Federer’s record at the age of 36 years and 321 days. Djokovic humorously remarked on his age, jokingly comparing himself to doubles player Rohan Bopanna, who holds the title of the oldest doubles number one in history.

In the next round, Djokovic will face the winner of the match between France’s Arthur Fils and Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti, setting the stage for another exciting showdown on the clay courts of Monte Carlo.

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Meanwhile, German fifth seed Alexander Zverev showcased his dominance with a straightforward victory over Sebastian Ofner, securing a 6-3, 6-4 win in his second-round match. Zverev’s commanding performance sets up a potential clash with either Tomas Etcheverry or 12th-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas in the next round.

Polish 10th seed Hubert Hurkacz faced a tough battle against Britain’s Jack Draper but ultimately emerged victorious with a hard-fought 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 win. Hurkacz’s resilience was evident as he overcame a spirited challenge from Draper to secure his place in the second round, where he will face Roberto Bautista-Agut of Spain.

Elsewhere, Australian 11th seed Alex de Minaur delivered a dominant performance against former champion Stan Wawrinka, clinching a convincing 6-3, 6-0 victory to progress to the second round. De Minaur’s impressive display sets up a showdown with Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor in the next round.

American Sebastian Korda also cruised into the second round with a comprehensive 6-1, 6-2 win over Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. Despite facing a formidable opponent in the next round, Korda remains optimistic and determined to give his best against world number two Jannik Sinner.

tIn unfortunate news, number three seed Carlos Alcaraz has withdrawn from the tournament due to an arm injury, paving the way for lucky loser Lorenzo Sonego to take his place in the second round match against Felix Auger-Aliassime.