Dominating French Open Start Proves This Is Still Novak Djokovic’s Title to Lose

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: May 26, 2015

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At the start of this French Open, things feel a bit different than they have over the past decade.

Nine-time Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal is no longer the man expected to walk away with the trophy. Instead, the title of favorite belongs to world No. 1 Novak Djokovic. And rightly so.

Djokovic is 36-2 on the season, with five huge titles under his belt: the Australian Open, Miami Open, BNP Paribas Open, Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters and, most recently, the Internazionali BNL d'Italia. He already has 13 top-10 wins on the year, including one over Nadal, two over Roger Federer and three over Andy Murray.



Most importantly, as he showcased in his first-round win over former top-20 player Jarkko Nieminen, he is a man on a mission.

Djokovic came into Paris on a 22-match winning streak, and the eight-time Grand Slam champion extended that to 23 after defeating Nieminen 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 on Tuesday.

If the Serb, who is seeking his first French Open title and career Slam, was feeling any pressure with the weight of championship expectations on his shoulders, he didn't show it—at least not for long. He recovered from a brief lull in the second set to win the next nine games in a row.

"Djokovic ... began and ended the match with trademark assurance, dictating the play against an opponent who at times looked bewildered by the power and variety of the top seed’s all-court game," wrote Les Roopanarine of the Guardian. 

Like all champions, Djokovic has the ability to take his game to the next level when he's in trouble.

His ability to do just that on Tuesday was more than assuring for anyone backing him for the title. He's not taking anyone lightly.



The biggest difference between this Djokovic and past versions of the Serb is how confident and calm he is with himself.

This year has frequently been compared to 2011, when Djo...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Tennis

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