Tested by rising American Alex Michelsen, Djokovic battled to a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (9) victory. The ATP’s all-time leader in weeks at No. 1 erased a 4-1 deficit in the opening set, then recovered from seeing his own 4-1 lead evaporate in set two. Djokovic saved a pair of set points at 7-8 and 8-9 in the tiebreak after Michelsen staved off two match points.
“These conditions I think are quite suitable to him. He has a big serve, he has attacking style of tennis, and, it was very challenging for me at times, particularly the beginning,” said the fourth seed. “He was all over me, I would say, in the first five games, and took me a little bit of time to get the rust off from not playing an official match for quite a few weeks.
“It was anybody’s set in the second set, tiebreak, point by point. So, yeah, just very glad to stay tough mentally, and calm when it mattered the most.”
