Novak Djokovic, the 21-time Grand Slam champion, returned to Australia with a win at the Hard Court Tennis Championships in Adelaide.
| Novak Djokovic started the Adelaide tournament with a confident win (Picture: Getty Images) |
On Tuesday, the 35-year-old Serbian star lost only five matches against Frenchman Constant Lestienne, ranked 65th in the world.
Djokovic announced in November that he had obtained a visa from Australian authorities, allowing him to compete in his first Grand Slam tournament of the year. The nine-time AO champion was unable to appear there last year because he could not and did not want to prove he had been vaccinated against coronavirus. Because he also gave false information, he was not only banned from entering the country, but also expelled from the country for three years. Meanwhile, Australia removed the vaccination requirement, and the relevant authorities changed their previous decision and still granted Djokovic a visa.
Former US Open winner Daniil Medvedev didn’t have to play a full match in the opening round in Adelaide as Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego pulled out of the match with an arm injury in the second set.
ATP Adelaide
First round (to reach the round of 16)
Djokovic (Serbian, 1)Lecithin (French) 6:3, 6:2
Medvedev (Russian, third)– Sonego (Italian) 7:6 (8-6), Sonego surrendered at 2:1
Sener (Italian, 6.)– Edmund (British) 6:3, 6:2
Khachanov (Russian, 8)– Cachin (Argentina) 6:2, 6:4
WTA Adelaide
First round (to reach the round of 16)
bell (chinese)– Kontaveit (Estonia, 6.) 6:1, 4:6, 7:6 (9-7)
Vondrousova (Czech Republic)– Alexandrova (Russian, 8th place) 4:6, 6:3, 6:2
Azarenka (Belarus)– Kalinina (Ukrainian) 7:6 (11-9), 7:6 (7-5)
Leo (American)– Hon (Australian) 4:6, 6:3, 6:3
