Djokovic Tops Coric In Madrid

Novak Djokovic defeated #NextGen player Borna Coric 6-2, 6-4 at the Mutua Madrid Open on Wednesday to score his first win in the Spanish capital since 2012. Djokovic fell to Grigor Dimitrov in his opening match in 2013, and did not take part in the past two editions of the event. This week, he is bidding to become the first man to win 29 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events. The Serb is currently tied with Rafael Nadal with 28 titles.

Djokovic was pushed by the 19-year-old Coric in the pair’s first meeting, but controlled the run of play from the baseline. The World No. 1 only dropped five points on serve in the first set and closed out the win in 78 minutes with the lone service break of the second set.

The 2011 Madrid champion improved to 17-6 at the event and will next face Roberto Bautista Agut, who edged fellow Spaniard Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 5-7, 7-5 in two hours and 27 minutes. Djokovic is undefeated against Bautista Agut in three FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings.