Novak Djokovic took care of Argentina’s Guido Pella.
The top-ranked Djokovic brushed aside Pella 6-2, 6-0, 6-2 on Thursday to line up Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria.
The same Dimitrov who beat him this month in the second round of the Madrid Open, 7-6 (6), 6-7 (8), 6-3. That was Dimitrov’s biggest win. He also took a set off Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals of the Monte Carlo Masters last month.
The 26-seeded Dimitrov beat Frenchman Lucas Pouille 6-1, 7-6 (4), 6-1 to get another crack Djokovic.
The Serb is relishing the rematch, confident he can handle Dimitrov in a best-of-five-sets contest.
“I think he’s got more confident as he’s getting big wins in the last few months, and so he’s a tough player now to beat,” Djokovic said. “Even though maybe his style of game could be better on the hard court or faster surfaces, he’s showing that he can play equally well on clay.
“It’s going to be very physical. All the hard work that I put into preparations for this tournament hopefully will play to my advantage and will pay off on the court.”
Djokovic has won every Grand Slam title except the French Open and has made this year’s tournament his priority. He lost last year’s rain-interrupted final at Roland Garros to Nadal.
Thurday’s match on centre court was delayed and interrupted by afternoon rain.
“It’s like déjà vu from two days ago, you know, coming in and out and warming up five times, but it is the way it is,” Djokovic said. “I’m just glad that I finished the match today.”
The rain delays had no apparent effect on him, though, as he swept aside the 83rd—ranked Pella in 1 hour, 26 minutes.
“(It) was the most difficult match I ever played ... I think I have bad luck in some games that I serve, but I think I did my best. He’s the best now,” Pella said. “I tried to make long points, but he’s really used to play like this.”
