Belgrade (AFP)
Novak Djokovic concluded his preparation for Roland Garros by winning the Belgrade clay tournament at home on Saturday 6-4, 6-3 against Slovak Alex Molcan, 255th at ATP.
This is the second title this season for the 34-year-old world number 1, who won at the Australian Open in February.
He brings his total trophies to 83, including three in his hometown.
"It has been a long time since I played here in front of an audience," commented the native of Belgrade, where he played another tournament, the Serbian Open, just over a month ago.
But he then lost in the semi-finals, in front of empty stands because of Covid-19.
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“Lifting a trophy here ten years later is really special. It's perfect before Roland Garros,” continued the Serbian, who won in Belgrade for the last time in 2011. “I play well, I feel good. had a good time with my family, ”he said again.
The Serbian was opposed in the final to a player coming out of qualifying, Alex Molcan, who had never won an ATP Tour match before this week.
The Slovakian nevertheless took his serve three times in the first set, which Djokovic won by making the break himself four times.
In the second set, he also conceded a break when he was leading 4-2, before closing the match in 1 h 28 min.
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"I didn't play badly, but I was playing against Djokovic," Molcan said with satisfaction.
"Today I fought, but it was not enough," he added.
In the first round of Roland-Garros, Djokovic will face the American Tennys Sandgren.
The Serbian has won 18 Grand Slam tournaments in his career, two fewer than Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, who are in the same half of the table as him in the Paris tournament.
© 2021 AFP