Serbian tennis player Djokovic earns first win of season, Medvedev advances

ADELAIDE: Competing in his first singles match of the season, Novak Djokovic quickly found his range to overcome Frenchman Constant Lestienne 6-3, 6-2 and reach the second round at the Adelaide International 1, here.

The win kept a potential Djokovic versus Daniil Medvedev semifinal on track after the third seed earlier advanced when Lorenzo Sonego retired with a right arm injury at 7-6(6), 2-1 (ret).

While Djokovic and Lestienne were evenly matched through the first five games, once the top seed broke the floodgates opened for a victory, much to the delight of a packed centre court at The Drive.

"For the first match I can't complain, I played very well," Djokovic said. "I thought the first probably six games were very competitive.

"I've never faced him before today's match. He's a counter-puncher. He doesn't make too many mistakes and he kind of absorbs the pace from his opponent, kind of tricky serve, hits his spots but once I made that break at 3-2 first set I felt like I stepped it up one or two levels and played really good tennis the rest of the match."

Not since the Australian Open fourth round five years ago had the former world No.1 lost a singles match Down Under.

That came against Hyeon Chung and while world No.65 Lestienne was ranked only seven places below the South Korean at the time of that boilover, this always presented a tough opening ask for a 30-year-old whose best had come at Challenger level.

Djokovic awaits Australian Jordan Thompson or another Frenchman Quentin Halys for a return to the quarterfinals at the event he won back in 2007.

Earlier, Medvedev produced an almighty escape, saving nine set points against Lorenzo Sonego before the Italian retired hurt. IANS