Novak Djokovic, the world No. 1 in men’s tennis, faced a difficult challenge in his opening match at the Italian Open in Rome. He battled past unseeded Juan Pablo Etcheverry in a tough first-round match, securing a hard-fought victory in straight sets.
Djokovic, who is a five-time winner of the Italian Open, struggled to find his rhythm early on against the unheralded Etcheverry. But the Serbian star eventually found his form and took control of the match, winning 6-3, 6-1.
Djokovic is considered one of the favorites to win this year’s Italian Open, which is viewed as a key warm-up event for the French Open. The Serbian ace has been in top form this season, winning the Australian Open and the Serbia Open in impressive fashion.
He will now face a tough second-round match against either Taylor Fritz or Dan Evans as he looks to continue his impressive run of form ahead of the French Open.