Top-seeded Novak Djokovic was pushed to the limit before winning a 2-6, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (4) slugfest over fellow Serbian Laslo Djere on Wednesday in the second round of the Serbia Open at Belgrade.
Djokovic was three points from losing in a second-set tiebreaker before remaining alive. He again trailed 4-3 in the third-set tiebreaker before rolling off four straight points to avoid the upset in three hours and 22 minutes.
Djokovic will next face seventh-seeded Serb Miomir Kecmanovic, who defeated Australian John Millman 6-4, 7-6 (5). Qualifier Thiago Monteiro of Brazil posted a 6-4, 6-1 upset of eighth-seeded Filip Krajinovic of Serbia.
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Fifth-seeded Carlos Alcaraz won in his homeland, needing just 93 minutes to slay South Korea’s Soonwoo Kwon 6-1, 2-6, 6-2 in the second round in Spain.
The 18-year-old Alcaraz will next face countrymate Jaume Munar, who rolled to a 6-1, 6-4 victory over ninth-seeded Nikoloz Basilashvili. Meanwhile, No. 3 Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada advanced with a 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 triumph over Spanish wild card Carlos Taberner.
American Francis Tiafoe, seeded 13th, advanced with a 7-6 (3), 6-1 win over qualifier Hugo Dellien of Bolivia. No. 8 seed Pablo Carreno Busta and No. 10 Alex de Minaur of Australia also won matches.
–Field Level Media