Djokovic rallies to beat Djere in 3 sets at Serbia Open

Associated PressApr 20, 2022, 5:08 PM EDT

Getty Images

BELGRADE, Serbia — Novak Djokovic rallied from a set down to beat compatriot Laslo Djere 2-6, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (4) in the second round of the Serbia Open in a match that lasted almost 3 1/2 hours.

The top-ranked Serb struggled to find his rhythm in what was just his fifth match of the year and the 50th-ranked Djere created break-point opportunities in all four of Djokovic’s service games in the opening set.

Djokovic improved in the second and recovered from missing three set points in the 12th game to win the tiebreaker. Djere had a chance to go 5-3 up in the third set before Djokovic broke back for 4-4, and the 20-time Grand Slam champion then won the last four points of the decisive tiebreaker.

Djokovic was coming off rare back-to-back defeats after opening his clay-court season with a surprising loss to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina at the Monte Carlo Masters last week, his first match since being eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships in February. Dubai was his first tournament of the year after he was barred from playing at the Australian Open because of his unvaccinated status, which also prevented him from playing tournaments in the United States last month.

Djokovic next faces another Serb, Miomir Kecmanovic, who defeated John Millman 6-4, 7-6 (5) to reach the quarterfinals for the second year in a row. The Australian had defeated Dominic Thiem.

Djokovic, who is looking for his first title of the year, has not lost to a compatriot since a defeat to Janko Tipsarevic in Madrid in 2012.

Third-seeded Karen Khachanov was handed a walkover win over Roman Safiullin earlier.

Eighth-seeded Filip Krajinovic was playing Thiago Monteiro.

Gael Monfils withdraws from French Open with wrist injury

Associated PressJun 1, 2023, 11:34 AM EDT

Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports

PARIS — A thrilling five-set victory took a toll on Gael Monfils, whose withdrawal from the French Open handed No. 6 Holger Rune a walkover to the third round.

The 36-year-old Frenchman said he has a strained left wrist and can’t continue.

He battled Sebastian Baez for nearly four hours on Court Philippe Chatrier before beating the Argentine 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 1-6, 7-5 in a first-round match that ended at 12:18 a.m. local time.

The victory was Monfils’ first at tour level this year, as the veteran was coming back from heel surgery.

“Actually, physically, I’m quite fine. But I had the problem with my wrist that I cannot solve,” he said. “The doctor say was not good to play with that type of injury. Yesterday was actually very risky, and then today definitely say I should stop.”

Monfils reached the semifinals at the French Open in 2008 and made it to the quarterfinals on three other occasions.

Mikael Ymer fined about $40K after default for hitting umpire stand with racket

Associated PressMay 31, 2023, 3:55 PM EDT

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

PARIS — Swedish tennis player Mikael Ymer was docked about $40,000 after being disqualified for smashing his racket against the umpire’s chair at a tournament the week before he competed at the French Open.

An ATP Tour spokesman said Ymer forfeited about $10,500 in prize money and 20 rankings he earned for reaching the second round of the Lyon Open. Ymer also was handed an on-site fine of about $29,000.

The spokesman said the ATP Fines Committee will conduct a review of what happened to determine whether any additional penalties are warranted.

The 56th-ranked Ymer, who is 24 and owns a victory over current No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, was defaulted in Lyon for an outburst late in the first set against French teenager Arthur Fils last week.

Ymer was upset that the chair umpire would not check a ball mark after a shot by Fils landed near a line. As the players went to the sideline for the ensuing changeover, Ymer smacked the base of the umpire’s stand with his racket twice – destroying his equipment and damaging the chair.

That led to Ymer’s disqualification, making Fils the winner of the match.

After his 7-5, 6-2, 6-4 loss to 17th-seeded Lorenzo Musetti in the first round at Roland Garros, Ymer was asked whether he wanted to explain why he reacted the way he did in Lyon.

“With all due respect, I think it’s pretty clear from the video what caused it and why I reacted the way I reacted. Not justifying it at all, of course,” Ymer replied. “But for me to sit here and to explain? I think it’s pretty clear what led me to that place. I think that’s pretty clear in the video.”