Novak Djokovic extended his unbeaten record in 2011 to 38 wins with a straight sets dismissal of hapless Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker in the first round at Roland Garros on Monday. One day after his 24th birthday, the red-hot, World No.2 saw off his 71st-ranked opponent 6-2, 6-1, 6-3 as he began his campaign to win his first Roland Garros title in impressive style.
However, French qualifier Stephane Robert caused the biggest upset yet at this years tournament, taking down Czech sixth seed Tomas Berdych 3-6, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, 9-7. Berdych, a semifinalist here last year and the Wimbledon runner-up, slumped to defeat, despite having had match point at 5-4 in the final set.
Djokovic's win took him to within four victories of equalling John McEnroe's 1984 record for a winning season start of 42 triumphs. He needed just 92 minutes to see off de Bakker, who had made the third round last year but came into Roland Garros having won just three matches all year.
“It's my favourite Grand Slam, even though I haven't won it yet,” said Djokovic, a semi-finalist in 2007 and 2008.
“I've been playing really well on clay. I've won three (clay-court) tournaments (Belgrade, Madrid and Rome) in the last few weeks, so I'm trying to build on that confidence,” added Djokovic.
Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro, a former US Open champion and a semifinalist here in 2009, overcame a first-set blip to defeat big-serving Croat Ivo Karlovic 6-7(7), 6-3, 7-5, 6-4.
Meanwhile, Sania Mirza, the World No.72, began her campaign with an impressive 6-3, 6-3 win over Kristina Barrois, ranked one spot below her.
Results
First round: Men: 9-Gael Monfils (Fra) bt Bjorn Phau (Ger) 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-0; 13-Richard Gasquet (Fra) bt Radek Stepanek (Cze) 7-5, 6-3, 6-0; Steve Darcis (Bel) bt 22-Michael Llodra (Fra) 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-3, 6-3; Philipp Petzschner (Ger) bt Mischa Zverev (Ger) 7-6(3), 6-0, 6-4; 28-Nikolay Davydenko (Rus) bt Denis Gremelmayr (Ger) 7-6(2), 6-1, 6-3; 10-Mardy Fish (USA) bt Ricardo Mello (Bra) 6-2, 6-7(11), 6-2, 6-4; Carlos Berlocq (Arg) bt Bernard Tomic (Aus) 7-5, 6-4, 6-2; Simon Bolelli (Ita) bt Frank Dancevic (Can) 6-1, 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-2; Tobias Kamke (Ger) bt Olivier Rochus (Bel) 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-3, 6-2; 29-Janko Tipsarevic (Srb) bt Brian Dabul (Arg) 7-6(1), 6-1, 6-0.
3-Roger Federer (Sui) bt Feliciano Lopez (Esp) 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(3); Stephane Robert (Fra) bt 6-Tomas Berdych (Cze) 3-6, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, 9-7; Alejandro Falla (Col) bt Potito Starace (Ita) 7-6(2), 6-1, 6-1; Igor Andreev (Rus) bt Florent Serra (Fra) 6-4, 6-1, 6-3; 23-Thomaz Belluci (Bra) bt Andrey Golubev (Kaz) 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(4), 7-6(5); 15-Viktor Troicki (Srb) bt Julian Reister (Ger) 6-4, 6-3, 6-3; Marsel Ilhan (Tur) bt Tommy Haas (Ger) 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(1), 6-4; Mikhail Kukushkin (Kaz) bt Daniel Brands (Ger) 6-2, 6-4, 6-4; 12-Mikhail Youzhny (Rus) bt Go Soeda (Jpn) 7-5, 6-2, 6-4; 25-Juan Martin del Potro (Arg) bt Ivo Karlovic (Cro) 6-7(7), 6-3, 7-5, 6-4; 2-Novak Djokovic (Srb) bt Thiemo de Bakker (Ned) 6-2, 6-1, 6-3.
Women: 1-Caroline Wozniacki (Den) bt Kimiko Date-Krumm (Jpn) 6-0, 6-2; 11-Marion Bartoli (Fra) bt Anna Tatishvili (Geo) 1-6, 6-2, 6-1; 9-Petra Kvitova (Cze) bt Greta Arn (Hun) 6-2, 6-1; 12-Agnieska Radwanska (Pol) bt Patricia Mayr-Achleitner (Aut) 6-1, 6-2; 25-Maria Kirilenko (Rus) bt Coco Wandeweghe (USA) 7-6(5), 6-2; 29-Shuai Peng (Chn) bt Tamira Paszek (Aut) 6-3, 6-2.
Sabine Lisicki (Ger) bt Akgul Amanmuradova (Uzb) 6-0, 6-4; Anastasia Rodionova (Aus) bt 26-Nadia Petrova (Rus) 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4; Vesna Dolonts (Rus) bt Anne Keothavong (Gbr) 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-4; 3-Vera Zvonareva (Rus) bt Lourdes Dominguez Lino (Esp) 6-3, 6-3; Sara Errani (Ita) bt Christina McHale (USA) 6-7(4), 6-2, 9-7; 28-Daniela Hantuchova (Svk) bt Zhang Shuai (Chn) 6-3, 6-3. Irina Begu (Rom) bt Aravane Rezai (Fra) 6-3, 6-3; Edina Gallovits (Rom) bt Angelique Kerber (Ger) 2-6, 6-3, 6-1; Nuria Llagostera Vives (Esp) bt Anastasia Pivovarova (Rus) 6-3, 6-0; 5-Francesca Schiavone (Ita) bt Melanie Oudin (USA) 6-2, 6-0; 30-Roberta Vinci (Ita) bt Alberta Brianti (Ita) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Sania Mirza (Ind) bt Kristina Barrois (Ger) 6-3, 6-3; Jill Craybas (USA) bt Eleni Daniilidou (Gre) 6-3, 6-3; Chan Yung-Jan (Tpe) bt 31-Klara Zakopalova (Cze) 7-5, 6-1; Chanelle Scheepers (Rsa) bt Viktoriya Kutuzova (Ukr) 6-3, 4-6, 6-2.
