Djokovic nonetheless doesn’t meet and falls on his return to Madrid in opposition to Arnaldi | Tennis | Sports | EUROtoday

Novak Djokovic appeared alone within the press room of the Magic Box and claimed that he had no expectations on his return to Masters in Madrid three years after his earlier participation. This Saturday, on the Manolo Santana monitor it has been seen in its defeat (6-3 and 6-4, 1h 41m) in opposition to Matteo Arnaldi, the forty fourth world, why the Balkan stated what he stated 48 hours earlier than. The Serbian tennis participant nonetheless doesn’t discover himself, missing rhythm and reliable, very uncomfortable within the lengthy exchanges in opposition to the Italian, a quick participant from the underside of the monitor, with a two -handed set and an neat proper. It is Nole’s second consecutive stumble, in his first 1000 Masters match, one thing unpublished till right now within the Madrid match, after two weeks in the past he additionally gave in Montecarlo in opposition to the Chilean Alejandro Tabilo (35º of the rating) In one other “horrible” confrontation, as he described.

The scenario of the winner of 24 Grand Slams, already with out Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer within the circuit, is correct now. Djokovic stated a number of weeks in the past that he has “gasoline in the tank”, however his final appearances have generated a sea of ​​doubts about his future. He data 4 losses to the primary in his final 5 tournaments – he additionally misplaced within the debut in Indian Wells and Doha, along with Montecarlo and Madrid – though in Miami reached the ultimate, wherein the younger Czech Jakub Mensik (twenty third) imposed himself.

“For me [el triunfo] It is incredible, because with Novak, the strongest in history, I am already happy to have played, ”said Arnaldi, 24, as soon long exchange, much heavier and slower than the electric player of San Remo, who broke the service to the first attempt. contrabreak In the first partial, but the failures – 32 not forced by 18 of his rival – condemned him in which he may be his last visit to Madrid, a tournament he has won three times.

His tennis seems so fragile now that Djokovic does not remember the competitive animal – one of the best of all time – that was. With the second service, only 40% of the serves won-for 51% of its rival-and failed to convert most of the breakage points: it only transformed one of the five of which it arranged, for three of three of Arnaldi, which in the second manga saved a 0-40 when it was 4-3 above.

The defeat of the Balkan also leaves a very open male painting in the tournament, which lives the first postnadal year without the presence of Jannik Sinner, the world number one, sanctioned three months by doping, or Carlos Alcaraz (3rd), injured in Barcelona. Also now without Djokovic, who did not lose his first two meetings in whipped land since 2006 – he said in Montecarlo and Barcelona – and that he says he is with his mind to arrive in conditions to Roland Garros, the next great objective of a tennis player who has already won everything and who at the moment still does not meet.

Gauff and Andreeva move forward to eighths

The American Coco Gauff, number four in the world, has defeated her compatriot Ann Li (62nd) in two sets (6-2 and 6-3, 1h 7m) on Saturday and has qualified for the round of 16 of the Masters in Madrid, which matches her best result in the tourna Tuesday turns 18, has lying to the French Magdalena Frech (27th) in two sleeves (7-5 ​​and 6-3, 1h 42m) to reach eighths. Last year, still being a teenager, made rooms. Conchita Martínez’s pupil has already raised the Dubai and Indian Wells Masters 1000 this season.

This afternoon would be the flip of the world quantity two and present champion of the Masters, the Polish IgA Swiatek, which is measured with the Czech Linda Noskova (thirty first) not earlier than 20.00 on the Central Track Manolo Santana. In the male portray, the British Jack Draper (sixth) see the faces with the Dutch Tallon Griekspoor (34º) round 19.00.