A fortnight before Roland-Garros (May 28-June 11), "Nole", with protection around his right elbow, has not raised all questions about his state of form after three weeks away from the courts, since his misstep in the quarterfinals of the Banja Luka tournament.

But the six-time winner of the Rome tournament, still N.1 in the world for a few days before being dislodged after the tournament by the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, ensured the essential against the Argentine Tomas Etcheverry (61st) 7-6 (7/5), 6-2, for his entry into the 2nd round.

He suffered in the first set, on a clay where he had a little trouble getting his bearings, but came out with the judicious shots at key moments, especially in the decisive game. Then he unrolled his tennis during a second set much more controlled, under the eyes of the coach of AS Roma José Mourinho.

"It's not the level you want yet. He started better than me, but the second set was much better. I'm happy with the way I ended the match," said the Serb, for whom "Rome has always been the tournament (he) needs to prepare Roland-Garros".

Novak Djokovic serving against Tomas Etcheverry in Rome, May 12, 2023 © Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP

He will meet Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov (3rd), who fell to veteran Stan Wawrinka 33-6, 4-7 (6/7), in the third round.

Alcaraz, the one that "Djoko" sees as "the man to beat" at the moment on the ochre, in the absence of Rafael Nadal, injured, will make his debut Saturday in Rome against his compatriot Albert Ramos (72nd).

Jabeur eliminated

The other tenors of the men's draw held their rank like Casper Ruud, Holger Rune or Jannik Sinner, all qualified in two sets.

However, this has not been the case in the women's tournament since the beginning of the WTA 1000, with the notable exception of the two-time defending champion and world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, who inflicted a stinging 6-0, 6-0 on the Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (42nd).

Poland's Iga Swiatek rushes against Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova at the Foro Italico in Rome, May 12, 2023 © Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP

"I'm happy to be back, I have a lot of confidence here, but every tournament is a new journey, you have to stay focused," said the 21-year-old Pole.

The winner of the last Roland-Garros will continue her preparation for Paris against the Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko (68th), in the 3rd round.

The Polish appears more than ever as the great favorite in a tournament that lost a new headliner Friday with the misstep of the finalist of the last edition, Ons Jabeur (No. 4 seed).

The Tunisian lost to Spain's Paula Badosa (35th in the world), 6-1, 6-4. Jabeur was returning to competition after a torn left calf that forced her to retire in the semifinals in Stuttgart on April 22 and then gave up defending her title at the WTA 1000 in Madrid.

Tunisia's Ons Jabeur, here during the tournament in Stuttgart, April 22, 2023, was knocked out in the second round in Rome © THOMAS KIENZLE / AFP/Archives

"We know each other very well, I'm very happy with my performance," said Paulo Badosa, 25, who will face Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk (27th in the world) in the next round.

The women's draw had already lost on Thursday the world N.2 Aryna Sabalenka, the N.3 Jessica Pegula and the 2019 winner and former N.1 Karolina Pliskova.

© 2023 AFP