Tokyo 2020 - Novak Djokovic eases past Hugo Dellien in straight sets to secure comfortable first round passage

ByJack Bantock

Updated 24/07/2021 at 09:14 GMT

The Serbian cruised past his Bolivian opponent 6-2, 6-2 in a comfortable Tokyo opener. The world number one now faces German world number 48 Jan-Lennard Struff in the second round. Djokovic is seeking to achieve a feat never accomplished in the men's game: the Golden Slam. Having already won three majors this year, he just needs gold in Tokyo and the US Open to complete the set.

Novak Djokovic eased past Hugo Dellien in the first round of the men’s singles event in Tokyo, winning 6-2, 6-2.

The world number one beat the Bolivian in straight sets to secure passage in just over an hour, jokingly bowing to each empty stand at the end of the match.

Djokovic was relatively untroubled against the world number 72, who failed to win a single break point.

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He will now face world number 48 Jan-Lennard Struff in the second round, after the German overcame Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro earlier today.

The Serbian is bidding to become only the second tennis player in history to complete the ‘Golden Slam’; to win all four major titles and an Olympic gold in the same year.

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Steffi Graf remains the only player to achieve the feat, winning the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, the US Open and then Olympic gold at Seoul in 1988.

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Should he win gold in Tokyo, Djokovic would be an September US Open win away from completing a legendary feat unmatched in the men’s game.

Fresh off the back of his sixth Wimbledon title, which matched Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal’s men’s record of 20 grand slams, it was a relatively stress-free opening encounter for the world number one.

He hit 23 total winners, winning 89% of points on his serve compared to his South American opponent’s 48%.

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