Djokovic Untroubled To Start Defence; Garcia-Lopez Fights Past Monaco

Written by: Staff on 28th August 2012

Djokovic Untroubled To Start Defence; Garcia-Lopez Fights Past Monaco

epa03373082 Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates after defeating Paolo Lorenzi of Italy during their match on the second day of the 2012 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 28 August 2012. The US Open runs through Sunday 09 September 2012. EPA/JASON SZENES |

(Original Link: http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2012/08/35/US-Open-Tuesday-Djokovic-Opens-Defence.aspx)

Italian Paolo Lorenzi made a promising start against defending champion Novak Djokovic, with a break in the opening game Tuesday evening on Arthur Ashe Stadium, but quickly became the World No. 2’s first victim of the 2012 US Open.

Djokovic needed just 73 minutes to brush aside the 69th-ranked Lorenzi, going on a 12-game run after losing the opening game. He converted on nine of his 13 break point chances and finished the match with 32 winners to 12 unforced errors.

The 25-year-old Serbian has reached the semi-finals or better in his past five appearances at the US Open, and lifted the trophy for the first time last year with victory over Rafael Nadal in the final.

Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez prevailed in a thriller on Grandstand Court, rallying from an 0-2 sets deficit for the first time in his career to upset 10th-seeded Argentine Juan Monaco 3-6, 1-6, 6-4, 7-6(6), 7-6(3) in four hours and 31 minutes.

The World No. 11, who had reached the Round of 16 last year, eased through the first two sets in 70 minutes before the 68th-ranked Garcia-Lopez began his fight back. Monaco twice rallied from a break down in the fifth set, the second time with Garcia-Lopez serving for the match at 5-3, but the Spaniard built a 6-2 lead in the tie-break and capitalised on his second match point opportunity.

Garcia-Lopez had lost his five past matches against a Top 20 player priot to Tuesday’s match, with his last win coming against World No. 4 Andy Murray in March at the BNP Paribas Open. He will look to advance beyond the second round for the first time at the US Open when he next faces Fabio Fognini. The Italian also battled back from two-sets-to-love down to defeat Frenchman Edouard Roger-Vasselin 3-6, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5.