Tennis - Djokovic thrashes Troicki in Dubai

Novak Djokovic trounced fellow Serb Viktor Troicki 6-1 6-4 in the Dubai Championships first round as the world number one extended his unbeaten run to 14 matches.

Reuters – Tue, Feb 26, 2013 23:45 EST

Djokovic, whose winning streak stretches back to October and includes claiming a third straight Australian Open title, was broken once in the second set but was otherwise untroubled in his first match since Davis Cup duty in early February.

"I had three or four weeks of no tennis, so I was extremely focused to start well and I did really well in the first set," Djokovic, 25, said in a courtside interview.

"I was right behind his serve and I'm very satisfied with my performance and hopefully I can continue."

Few would bet against the top seed meeting Roger Federer in Saturday's final, with the pair having won eight of the past 10 Dubai titles, although the Swiss did need three sets to get past wild card Malek Jaziri on Monday.

Also into the second round is former US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro, who saved three match points on his way to beating Marcos Baghdatis 4-6 6-4 7-6.

Fourth seed Del Potro recovered from 4-1 down in the deciding set, the Argentine's superior ground strokes ultimately wearing down his Cypriot opponent as dusk fell.

"Marcos also deserved to win but the luck was behind me and I played better in the big moments," Del Potro said in a courtside interview. "In the tie-break I was solid."

The opening two sets were decided by a service break as both players opted for a serve and volley approach, Del Potro losing the first with a double-fault.

In the deciding set, Del Potro misjudged a Baghdatis lob that drifted in after the 24-year-old pulled his racket away at the last moment to allow the Cypriot to break.

The 2006 Australian Open finalist then held for a 4-1 lead, but Del Potro was not finished, storming back to level at 4-4 with Baghdatis unable to live with the precision and venom of the world number seven's ground strokes.

Del Potro had been guilty of making too many unforced errors but was nerveless in saving successive match points, then a third, to hold for 5-5 as some brutal serving helped him survive.

In the tie-break, Baghdatis wilted by clubbing shots wide and long.

Michael Llodra beat a tiring Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6 6-2, his first victory in seven meetings against his fellow Frenchman.

Tsonga, who won a 10th career singles title on Sunday after defeating Tomas Berdych in the final of the Marseille Open, was 4-2 up in the first set.

But the fifth seed faltered as left-hander Llodra rushed the net at every opportunity, in the final game brilliantly blocking off two attempted passes with angled volley winners.

Earlier, Russia's Nikolay Davydenko routed world number nine Janko Tipsarevic 6-0 7-5 in sweltering conditions.

The first two games took 31 minutes to complete, with Tipsarevic going through three rackets in the opening three games.

The Serb, wearing his trademark dark glasses, came out fighting in the second set and broke twice for a 4-1 lead only for 31-year-old Davydenko to win six of the last seven games.

"Maybe he lost concentration," said Davydenko, the world number 46. "I was also waiting for him to make some mistakes because it's really difficult to do winners here."

Third seed Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic strolled past wild card Rajeev Ram 6-1 6-3.

Top seed John Isner narrowly avoided a second straight first round exit as the big serving American edged past Canadian Jessie Levine 7-6 5-7 6-4 at the Delray Beach International.

American Isner was tripped up in the opening round of last week's Memphis International by Uzbek Denis Istomin and the world number 15 again found himself in trouble on the hard courts.

This time, however, the 6-foot-9 inch Isner was able to blast 28 aces en route to victory in an opening match that lasted over two hours.

All seemed to be going to plan as Isner seized the critical first set in a tie-breaker 7-3 but he had his service broken en route to dropping the second set, forcing a decider.

But the American, who has been plagued by knee trouble, held firm in the third to advance, much to his relief.

"Jesse's good. I've always had trouble with him. Honestly, it was a good one to get through," Isner told the ATP website.

"A win is a win and I haven't had many lately. I'm just trying to get this train going. I'll rest up and I anticipate I'll be better."

Another big server, Croatia's Ivo Karlovic, also advanced at the hands of Memphis winner Kei Nishikori. The Japanese forced to retire at 5-4 down in the first set with a stomach muscle problem.

Second seed Tommy Haas was another winner but the German was in no celebratory mood.

Haas and Igor Sijsling were locked at one set all when the Dutch player quit with an ankle injury after the second set.

In the final game that Sijsling lost he blasted three balls into the stands, one hitting a spectator and drawing a code violation warning.

"What a strange match. You never want to win a match like that," Haas said. "It's not a proud win for me."

Dubai Championships results

Round 1

1-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) beat Viktor Troicki (Serbia) 6-1 6-4

3-Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) beat Rajeev Ram (US) 6-1 6-3

Dmitry Tursunov (Russia) beat Jan Hajek (Czech Republic) 4-6 6-1 6-2

Michael Llodra (France) beat 5-Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (France) 7-6(3) 6-2

4-Juan Martin Del Potro (Argentina) beat Marcos Baghdatis (Cyprus) 4-6 6-4 7-6(4)

Marcel Granollers (Spain) beat Albert Montanes (Spain) 6-3 6-1

Tobias Kamke (Germany) beat Mikhail Kukushkin (Kazakhstan) 4-6 6-4 6-4

Nikolay Davydenko (Russia) beat 6-Janko Tipsarevic (Serbia) 6-0 7-5

Victor Hanescu (Romania) beat Bernard Tomic (Australia) 3-2 (Tomic retired)