Maestrelli 1-3 Djokovic (4)* The qualifier crushes a forehand line drive to move up 30-15, and backs it up with a 208 kmph serve out-wide on the ad-court that Djokovic cannot handle. Djokovic has a sniff of another break at 40-30 but the Italian holds with a neat backhand winner.
*Maestrelli 0-3 Djokovic (4) Another sign Djokovic’s killer instinct perhaps hasn’t kicked in yet comes at 30-0 when he floats a weak drop shot into the net with the rally on his racket. Two massive first serves seal the hold.
Maestrelli 0-2 Djokovic (4)* The Italian launches a 212kmh serve to level at 15-15 then curls a heavy forehand winner to signal to Djokovic he has weapons. Maestrelli moves up 40-30 despite Djokovic controlling the rally and manoeuvring his opponent around without ever moving in for the kill, but then concedes a double fault to drop back to deuce.
I mentioned how relaxed Djokovic looked in the opening game and there’s a risk he may be too relaxed, or perhaps slightly off kilter. His rally play at deuce after failing to punish Maestrelli at 30-30 continues the lackadaisical air – not that it matters. The Italian dumps a routine volley into the net at game point, fails to execute a drop shot to gift break point, whereupon he overhits from the baseline.
