MX23RW : Tuesday, December 24 17:25:59| >> :600:365130591:365130591:

Live Commentary: French Open - Novak Djokovic vs. Guido Pella - as it happened

Live coverage of the second-round French Open match between Novak Djokovic and Guido Pella.
2

Novak Djokovic progressed to the third round of the French Open with a straight-sets win over Guido Pella this afternoon.

After a rain-affected morning, the top seed needed less than 90 minutes to beat the world number 83.

The win sets up a third-round meeting with Grigor Dimitrov, who has already beaten the world number one on clay this year.

Read how all the action unfolded below:


Sort:
Newest
Oldest
Good afternoon! After a wet morning in Paris, it looks like world number one Novak Djokovic is finally going to get his second-round match with Argentina's Guido Pella underway. The covers are off Court Philippe Chatrier, and the ground staff are sweeping the clay ready to get play underway.

It was a straightforward first round for the top seed. Djokovic beat David Goffin 7-6 6-4 7-5. On paper it should be another comfortable game for the Serb, his opponent is ranked 83rd in the world.

Both players are out on court warming up. Looking at the bright sunshine now, it's hard to think that the best part of three hours have been lost so far today because of the showers. Fingers crossed it will remain this way for the rest of the day, with matches involving defending champions Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova still scheduled for today.

It looks like the winner of this match will face Grigor Dimitrov in the next round. The Bulgarian is two sets and 4-1 up against Lucas Poille. Dimmitrov has already beaten Djokovic on clay this year, so it could be a tough test for the world number one, assuming he comes through this encounter.

Pella is in the second round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time, at only his third appearance in a major. He has won four titles on the challengers circuit.

The players are ready to go, and Djokovic is serving first.

Djokovic looks calm and composed in his first game, despite dropping the second point with a careless shot to the net, before firing a potentially game-winning forehand wide, but a well-placed flat forehand eventually wins the game for the Serb.

Dimitrov has just finished his game against Pouille, so he will face the winner of this match.

Pella sends in some testing serves, but when Djokovic gets the return in he always looked in control of the rally. A brilliant forehand down the sideline gives the world number one an early chance to break, but Pella saves it with a strong serve. Pella forces advantage with some strong strokes from the baseline, and seals the game with a great shot to the back right corner. A determined start by the Argentinian.

Pella gets on the board early but finds the net on the next point. Djokovic takes a 40-15 lead with some good shots from the back of the court, but he sends the ball wide when he tries a volley. However, a good serve by the Serb is too much for the world number 83 to control, and he sends his return long to allow Djokovic to seal the game.

There are a few umbrellas going up in the crowd. Hopefully any spots of rain won't come to anything.

Djokovic still looks like he's going through his warmup at the moment, but he still manages to bring up a break point. Pella slides brilliantly behind the baseline to bring up deuce. The Argentinian forces advantage, and Djokovic tries to catch him out with a drop shot, but he mis-hits it, gifting Pella the game.

The top seed seems to have taken it up a notch, racing to a 40-0 lead with some pacy forehands from the back of the court. He tries another drop shot, knowing that he's in control of the game, but again it fails to clear the net. However, Pella can't get his return in off Djokovic's next serve, allowing the Serb to hold.

BREAK! Djokovic is starting to look a little more aggressive against the Argentine's serve, racing along the baseline to send a superb lob beyond Pella. The pair exchange a series of forehands in a 20-shot rally at 30-30, but Pella hits the net, giving Djokovic a break points, and this time he jumps up high at the net to smash it past his opponent to put the top seed in control of the set..

Pella catches Djokovic out with a well-weighted backhand drop shot, but the Serb consolidates the break with some more good play from the back of the court, eventually sealing the game when Pella blasts the ball well wide. Djokovic still looks very much like he's only in first or second gear at the moment, yet is totally in control of this set, which is worrying for his opponent.

SET! Djokovic 6-2 Pella

Pella shows some impressive footwork to move quickly around the court and take a 30-0 lead. The pair exchange a couple of delicate shots at the net before Djokovic forces a tight angle to get back into the game. The Serb gets a lucky contact with the net to bring up deuce, and a couple of mistakes from the 23-year-old Argentine allow Djokovic to wrap up the first set in little over half an hour.

Pella did little wrong in the opening set, but Djokovic just seemed to get stronger as it went on. It could be a tough afternoon for the Argentine.

It's a comfortable opening service game from Djokovic. He races to a 40-15 lead before a looping forehand stroke just creeps long, but a wide effort from Pella gives Djokovic the game.

BREAK! Djokovic starts the game well with a forehand smash in mid-air. Pella struggles with his accuracy, sending a couple of forehands well wide to present Djokovic with a break point, but the Serb fires the ball long. Pella gets the ball caught in the net before blasting his forehand wide yet again, allowing Djokovic to break.

Pella works hard at 30-30 as he looks to bring up his first break point of the match, but his effort down the sideline goes just wide, and Djokovic patiently builds in the next rally before firing a forehand past the Argentinian to take a 3-0 lead in the second set.

There are still quite a few umbrellas up in the crowd, and Pella complained to the umpire about the weather after Djokovic broke him, but it looks like play will continue for now.

The players are heading off the court for a couple of minutes while they wait for the rain to pass. There is a fair amount of rain falling at the minute, but the skies above are bright to hopefully this will be a short delay.

Let's have a look at some of the stats from the first set while we're waiting for play to resume. Djokovic had a solid set on serve, with 78% of his serves in. The Serb had 11 winners and 12 unforced errors, but at least two of those came from drop-shot attempts.

Meanwhile, Pella was not as consistent on serve. He had the only ace in the opening set, but also had the only double fault. 56% of his first serves were in, but the Argentine had just five winners all set.

It's quite an odd scene at Roland Garros at the moment. The players on Philippe Chatrier are the only ones to have gone off court. Azarenka and Beck, who are playing on Suzanne Lenglen, have stopped their match while the shower passes, but have remained on court, while the rest of the matches have continued, much to the displeasure of the fans watching the game on Chatrier.

Good news, most of the umbrellas have gone down around Chatrier and the ball boys are coming back onto the court. All we need now is a couple of players and we'll be good to go.

Here come the players. It's bright sunshine again on Chatrier, so hopefully the weather will allow Djokovic and Pella to finish their match.

BREAK! Pella struggles to get the balls over the net and is immediately facing two break points. Djokovic claims them both with a superb cross-court backhand, which just finds the sideline. It doesn't look like the break has helped the Argentinian.

Pella plays a lovely drop shot to leave Djokovic sprinting towards the net. The top seed reaches the ball, but can't get it back over the net. However, some more strong play from the back of the court allows Djokovic a comfortable hold. He's clearly keen to get this wrapped up before the inclement weather returns.

SET! Djokovic 6-2 6-0 Pella

Pella put up a good fight in an attempt to avoid the 6-0 scoreline, fighting back from 40-0 down, but a double fault while he had advantage let Djokovic get back into the game, winning the set with a superb forehand down the sideline.

Pella brings up his first break point against the Djokovic serve, winning a lengthy rally before a long ball from the Serb allowed Pella to take control. However, the Argentine tried to force a winner and ended up getting the ball stuck on the net chord. Djokovic brings up advantage with a forehand down the sideline while sliding behind the baseline, but Pella forces it back to deuce. The top seed gets advantage again but a double fault prevent him from clinching it. Eventually, a mistake from Pella and a big serve from the Serb allows him to hold his service game, but there are signs of fight from the world number 83.

Djokovic has struggled with his drop shots this afternoon, at 30-15 down he tried to catch his opponent out but couldn't land the ball inside the sideline. Pella digs deep to take his first game since the fourth of the opening set.

Djokovic plays some brilliant volleys from the net to comfortably hold his service game. He seems to have upped the face a little having faced some difficulties in his opening service game in this third set, reminding his opponent that he is still well in control of this match.

BREAK! Pella's five-set epic first-round match against Ivan Dodig looks to be taking it's toll as he struggles to match Djokovic's pace around the court. The Serb races to a 40-0 lead, forcing the Argentinian to face three break points, but the world number one takes the break at the first opportunity with another superb volley.

There's a slightly inevitable feeling about this now, as Djokovic faces little resistance from Pella again. On top of that, the top seed seems to have got his net game working well as he plays yet another solid volley.

Pella plays a series of good forehands to take a 40-15 lead. Djokovic tries a drop shot to get himself back into the game but once again he can't get it over the net, allowing Pella to hold.

Djokovic opens with his first ace of the match, before a series of wides from Pella allows Djokovic to hold, leaving him just one game away from the third round.

A double fault gives Djokovic three match points

GAME, SET & MATCH! Djokovic 6-2 6-0 6-2 Pella

Djokovic is through to the third round after less than 90 minutes on court, playing some great attacking tennis in the last game to win the game in straight sets. He'll face Belarus' Grigor Dimitrov in the third round.

Despite the scoreline, it's been a good tournament for Pella. He reached the second round of a grand slam for the first time in his career, consolidating his newly-found status as a top 100 player.

That's all from this match, but stick around for reports and reaction to today's action at the French Open. Thanks for joining me for this match this afternoon, good bye.

ID:86781: cacheID:86781:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:19342:
Written by
Sian Cowper
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Serbia's Novak Djokovic reacts as he defeats Belgium's David Goffin during their first round match of the French Open tennis tournament on May 28, 2013
Read Next:
Djokovic edges beyond Goffin
>