Novak Djokovic remains unbeaten in 2023 — but only after the Serbian held off a ferocious challenge from Tomas Machac for a 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(1) win Tuesday at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

Machac showcased some top-class shotmaking, particularly off the backhand wing, to roar back into contention after a fast start from Djokovic at the ATP 500. The World No. 1 was at times visibly frustrated at struggling to find his best level, but composed himself in trademark fashion in the deciding-set tie-break to ward off the upset and take a hard-earned two-hour, 28-minute victory.

“Tomas certainly didn’t play like the No. 130 in the world today,” Djokovic said of Machac, who reached his career-high of No. 97 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings last December. “He was giving me all kinds of trouble. But i guess when it mattered, I found another gear.”

Although Djokovic struck 44 winners to Machac’s 34, the Czech rarely allowed the Serbian to dictate play for extended periods in their maiden ATP Head2Head meeting. Djokovic’s serve proved crucial in repelling his inspired opponent — the top seed sent down 12 aces and saved seven of 10 break points he faced.

“Physically you can always be better,” said Djokovic, who was playing his first match since lifting a record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam at January’s Australian Open.. “I demand the highest of standards, levels, and quality of tennis and preparation that I can possibly get.

“I did struggle with injury for several weeks and it took me a little bit of time to get used to holding the racquet. I haven’t played much tennis coming into Dubai, so I’m hoping that as the tournament progresses, I can raise the level of tennis as well.”

Djokovic had led 4-1 in the third set before an inspired Machac rallied to take the 93-time tour-level titlist the distance in the U.A.E. Yet the Serbian held on for the win, and is now 13-0 for the 2023 season after previously winning an ATP 250 in Adelaide prior to his Australian Open title run.

Having finished his 2022 season by going unbeaten at the Nitto ATP Finals, Djokovic’s current winning streak now stands at 18. The World No. 1 is this week chasing his sixth title in Dubai, where he triumphed in 2009-2011, 2013 and 2020. His next opponent in the U.A.E. will be World No. 39 Tallon Griekspoor.

More to follow…

Felix Auger-Aliassime earned victory on his debut at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships Tuesday. However, he was made to work hard at the ATP 500 event, clawing past American Maxime Cressy 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-3 to reach the second round.

The Canadian survived a serve-and-volley onslaught from a resilient Cressy, finding a number of stunning passing shots in pressure moments to triumph after three hours.

“He has not the most common game. But that is why he is difficult to play. You don’t have to face an opponent like him. He is quite unique and that is why I think he got me last time,” said Auger-Aliassime, who lost to Cressy at Wimbledon last year. “I think I was a bit unprepared and wasn’t able to stay as composed as I did today.

“I was sharp when I needed to. It was unfortunate it had to go three sets, but to be able to break him finally, for the first time since we’ve played together, was good.”

Auger-Aliassime arrived in Dubai off the back of a run to the semi-finals in Doha, where eventual champion Daniil Medvedev stopped him. The 22-year-old, who also fell to Medvedev in the quarter-finals in Rotterdam earlier this month, will next face Italian Lorenzo Sonego after improving to 8-4 on the year.

After winning a tight opening set, Auger-Aliassime was unable to cope with the 25-year-old’s proactive game in the second set, with Cressy clubbing 16 winners in the second set to level. However, the fourth seed remained patient on return and earned the crucial break in the fourth game of the third set, before remaining strong on serve to advance.

Auger-Aliassime has levelled his ATP Head2Head series against Cressy at 1-1, gaining revenge for his first-round defeat to the World No. 36 at Wimbledon last year. The World No. 9 is chasing his fifth tour-level title and first of the season this week.

In other action, Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp upset sixth seed Karen Khachanov 7-5, 6-2, while Australian Christopher O’Connell defeated Finn Emil Ruusuvuori 7-5, 6-4. Eighth seed Borna Coric advanced after Daniel Evans was forced to retire due to injury at 2-2 in the first set.

Taylor Fritz capped off his first day as a Top 5 player with a comeback, three-set win against countryman John Isner on Monday at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC. As the first American to earn a place in the Top 5 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings since Andy Roddick in 2009, the Break Point star is leading the pack of 10 men inside the Top 50.

While the 25-year-old appreciates the gravity of his achievement, both on a personal level and in the broader scope of American men’s tennis, Fritz is doing his best to keep his focus on the task hand this week in Acapulco.

“It’s obviously pretty exciting to be Top 5. I’ve known for about a week now that today was going to be the day that I’d be Top 5,” said Fritz, whose Delray Beach title put him in position to move up two spots from World No. 7, passing Rafael Nadal and Andrey Rublev after both dropped points last week. “Now I just need to focus on the tournament week and not so much about the ranking.”

He later added: “It’s a huge honour to be the first American in the Top 5 since [Roddick] was and I’m hoping that I can take it even further.”

New career high today 🥳 https://t.co/vfI9ydv9wA

— Taylor Fritz (@Taylor_Fritz97) February 27, 2023

In order to maintain his position, Fritz will likely need to defend his Indian Wells title next month when he returns to his native Southern California. Nearly one year after winning the biggest trophy of his career, Fritz feels that victory shows he is capable of contending for more of the game’s greatest prizes.

“I think if I’m able to win a Masters 1000, then I’m able to win a Grand Slam,” he said in an Acapulco press conference following his opening win. “Things just need to come together. I need to be playing really well one specific week. I feel like it’s possible for sure.”

For now, Fritz is focussed on winning his sixth ATP Tour title — and his second ATP 500 crown after last October in Tokyo — this week in Mexico. The American, who reached the 2020 Acapulco final (l. to Nadal), will continue his campaign against Denis Shapovalov on Wednesday, when he will try to close the gap on the Canadian’s 5-2 advantage in their ATP Head2Head.

In a hotly anticipated Monday matchup of two of the ATP Tour’s newest young stars, fourth seed Holger Rune edged Ben Shelton in the pair’s first ATP Head2Head meeting.

In a 6-7(7), 6-4, 6-2 victory at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC, the Dane won eight of the final 10 games to close out a match that hung on a knife edge until late.

“I managed to find solutions when it mattered,” Rune said post-match. “I had to dig really deep for that break in the second set. In the third set I felt like I was more up. I think I played good overall and it was super tricky match.”

Shelton saved two set points in a thrilling opening-set tie-break before winning it, then erased another two at 4-5 in the second set, including one with a 120-mph second serve. But Rune took his third chance in set two after battling back from 40/0 in the return game.

It remained tight in the final set until Rune rattled off the final four games from 2-2, sparked by the point of the match in which he outdid a Shelton tweener with a feathered half volley. The pair slapped hands after the thrilling exchange, and they met again at the net soon after when Rune won the final four games without being pushed to deuce.

The 19-year-old Dane did not face a break point in sets two and three, losing just one point on his first serve across both sets. Shelton won 80 per cent of his first serve points in the match, with Rune singling out that shot for praise.

“He has a huge serve. For me it’s one of the biggest serves I ever played, ” Rune said of the American. “He has a lot of weapons. Most of all I’m super happy with how I handled everything mentally.”

After spending two hours, 20 minutes as rivals, Rune and Shelton are set to team up in doubles next week at Indian Wells. Shelton, six months Rune’s senior at 20, is also in the doubles draw this week alongside Mackenzie McDonald in Acapulco.

Before Rune’s victory on centre court, third seed Taylor Fritz opened play in the stadium with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win against fellow American John Isner. It was the 25-year-old’s first match as a Top 5 player, after he rose up to the No. 5 spot in this week’s Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

Fritz will next meet Denis Shapovalov, a 6-7(4), 6-0, 7-5 winner against Miomir Kecmanovic.

Sixth-seeded American Frances Tiafoe also advanced, 7-6(6), 6-4 against Yoshihito Nishioka. Tiafoe will play 41-year-old Feliciano Lopez in the second round. Spain’s Lopez earned his first win at an ATP Tour event since July 2021 with a 7-6(3), 6-4 result against Chris Eubanks.

Novak Djokovic has been a serving machine so far in 2023.

Returning to action this week in Dubai as he notches a record-breaking 378th week at World No. 1, the Serbian is 12-0 on the young season, with titles at the Adelaide International 1 and the Australian Open. He leads the Tour with Service Games Won at 94.38 per cent (151/160) and sits third with Return Games Won at 32 per cent (48/150). When the world’s best returner is also the hottest server on Tour, it’s lights out for anyone standing on the other side of the net.

An Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis of Djokovic’s serving prowess in his unbeaten run reveals three specific areas where the Super Serb creates significant separation from his opponents

1: Holding From 15/0 & 0/15
The first point of a service game helps to “set the weather” for the rest of the game. Djokovic is head and shoulders above his 12 opponents in securing a 15/0 lead and holding serve, and also holding serve when he drops the opening point.

Winning The First Point Of The Game
• Djokovic = 75 per cent (120/160)
• Opponents = 66 per cent (99/150)

Djokovic was far more likely to sprint to a 15/0 lead in his service games versus his opponents. He surged to a 15/0 lead 75 per cent of the time, which was considerably higher than the 66 per cent mark from his opponents.

Holding From 15/0

• Djokovic = 95 per cent (114/120)
• Opponents = 74 per cent (73/99)

Djokovic has held serve a jaw-dropping 114 times out of 120 (95 per cent) after winning just the first point of the game. Opponents are nowhere close to that mark, holding just 74 per cent (73/99) of the time.

Holding From 0/15
• Djokovic = 90 per cent (36/40)
• Opponents = 55 per cent (28/51)

This is where the rubber meets the road holding serve for the Serb. Djokovic trailed 0/15 40 times in Adelaide and Melbourne and was still able to hold serve a staggering 90 per cent (36/40) of the time. Opponents could only manage to hold 55 per cent (28/51) of the time. This speaks to superior strategy, mental strength and the unwavering ability to conquer any and all moments of adversity in the match.

2: 2nd Serves To Position 5

The common strategy for almost all players on tour when hitting second serves in the Ad court is to target the backhand with a jam second serve or kick out wide. Not Djokovic. He launches a sneak attack at the forehand return with slice.

Ad Court 2nd Serve Location/Won
• Position 5 = Won 60 per cent (43/72)
• Position 6 = Won 65 per cent (13/20)
• Position 7 = Won 53 per cent (21/40)
• Position 8 = Won 53 per cent (20/38)

Djokovic hit 72 second serves down the T in the Ad court, winning an eye-opening 60 per cent of those points. He impressively collected four second serve aces and 12 return errors to Position five. Djokovic’s 72 second serves to Position five was almost double the amount to the more traditional location out wide to Position eight, with 38. That’s essentially a strategy flip from the rest of the Tour.

3: Serve +1 Performance
Djokovic is widely regarded as having one of the best backhands of all time, but his forehand still outshines it on a stats sheet. Djokovic hit 56 per cent forehands as the first shot after the serve, while his opponents were slightly higher at 59 per cent. While the totals were somewhat similar, the win percentages were not.

Serve +1 Forehand Win Percentage
• Djokovic = 67 per cent (216/323)
• Opponents = 47 per cent (202/427)

Serve +1 Backhand Win Percentage
• Djokovic = 61 per cent (156/256)
• Opponents = 40 per cent (117/291)

Overall, Djokovic hit 59 Serve +1 winners, with 50 following his first serve and nine following his second serve. Forty five were Serve +1 forehands and 14 were Serve +1 backhands.

Djokovic’s return strategy and execution have always been a hallmark of his game. Now he is leading the Tour is Service Games Won. It’s an unbeatable combination.

Juan Manuel Cerundolo won two ATP Challenger Tour titles to start his season. Could this be the week he adds another ATP Tour trophy to his collection?

The Argentine qualifier battled past countryman Pedro Cachin 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 on Monday to reach the second round of the Movistar Chile Open.

“I’m really happy and I hope to keep working to get better,” Cerundolo said. “I still have a lot of things to improve so I need to keep working and see if I have better results.”[

The lefty dominated behind his first serve, winning 85 per cent of those points. Cerundolo saved two of the three break points he faced to advance after two hours and two minutes.

Another qualifier advanced earlier in the day when Yannick Hanfmann ousted defending champion Pedro Martinez 6-2, 6-0.

“The match went well. It was a pretty clear scoreline, but I think it was a little bit closer. There were a few really long games,” Hanfmann said. “Obviously playing qualies gave me a little bit of confidence.”

One year ago in Santiago, Martinez defeated Hanfmann 6-2, 6-2 in the Santiago quarter-finals.

“He beat me pretty bad last year in the quarters, so I was able to return the favour in the first round here,” Hanfmann said. “That’s how it is. Tennis is brutal sometimes.”

Home favourite Alejandro Tabilo put forth a courageous effort on Cancha Central, but Spaniard Jaume Munar clawed past the Chilean 6-0, 6-7(4), 7-6(5) after two hours and 42 minutes.

Munar converted six of his eight break points to move into the second round. The 25-year-old will next play top seed Lorenzo Musetti.

Italian qualifier Riccardo Bonadio earned his first tour-level victory with a 6-3, 7-6(5) win against Colombian Daniel Elahi Galan. Bonadio, a 29-year-old, is the No. 182 player in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

Did You Know?
Dominic Thiem and Fabio Fognini played mini tennis before the start of the Movistar Chile Open. Both Top 10 stars are scheduled to compete Tuesday.

^{Photo Credit: Aljaro/Binder}