Top-seeded Novak Djokovic looked sharp in his first ATP match in 2 1/2 months as he rolled to a 6-0, 6-3 win over Spain’s Pablo Andujar on Thursday to reach the quarterfinals of the Tel Aviv Open in Israel.
The Serbian has eight aces among 29 winners and committed just eight unforced errors in his first tour match since winning Wimbledon on July 10. Djokovic broke Andujar’s service four times during the 87-minute match.
Djokovic was unable to play on the recent U.S. hardcourt circuit and missed the U.S. Open due to his COVID-19 vaccination status. Djokovic next faces Canadian lucky loser Vasek Pospisil, who cruised to a 6-3, 6-2 win over Israeli qualifier Edan Leshem.
Among other matches, Arthur Rinderknech of France had 35 winners and saved a match point during a 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7) win over third-seeded Diego Schwartzman of Argentina.
British qualifier Liam Broady scored a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory over No. 5 seed Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands, and France’s Constant Lestienne took down Emil Ruusuvuori of Finland 6-4, 6-2.
Sofia Open
Switzerland’s Marc-Andrea Huesler ripped 46 winners and committed just eight unforced errors while posting a 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 victory over second-seeded Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain to reach the quarterfinals in Bulgaria.
Huesler won 89.2 percent of his first-serve points while pulling off the stunning win. He will next face Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak, who beat eighth-seeded German Oscar Otte 4-6, 6-2, 6-4.
In other matches involving seeded players, top-seeded Jannik Sinner of Italy recorded a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Portugal’s Nuno Borges, and fifth-seeded Holger Rune of Denmark beat Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego 6-7 (1), 6-4, 6-3.
Korea Open
Top-seeded Casper Ruud of Norway had 18 winners against seven unforced errors while fighting for a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 win over Chilean qualifier Nicolas Jarry to reach the quarterfinals in Seoul.
Jarry had a 13-6 edge in aces as well as 35 winners against 22 unforced errors. Ruud, who qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals with the win, will next face Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka, who beat countryman Taro Daniel 6-2, 6-4.
Second-seeded Brit Cameron Norrie posted a 6-2, 6-2 win over Japanese wild card Kaichi Uchida. Norrie will next face eighth-seeded Jenson Brooksby, who beat South Korea’s Soonwoo Kwon 6-3, 6-4.
–Field Level Media