The two met already twice in the past on the ATP Tour, and even though the experienced Serb triumphed in both matches, none of them were played on red dirt. This time, Djokovic and Norrie clashed on the clay courts of Foro Italico in Rome for their first clay-court meeting.
In their past two matches at the event, they both displayed solid form, with Djokovic beating Tomas Martin Etcheverry and Grigor Dimitrov, while Norrie overcame Alexandre Muller and Marton Fucsovics.
Their fourth-round meeting began a few minutes later than scheduled as the forecast in Rome seemed to be tricky, leaving everyone doubting whether the players will step onto the court. Eventually, there was no rain, and the match could be played without any disruptions.
And that’s something that helped Djokovic keep his rhythm throughout the first set. The Serb was serving well and he had break points in three of his opponent’s four service games. Although the 22-time Grand Slam champion used only one of the breakpoints, it was enough for him to win the first set 6-3, also thanks to winning 92% of points after his first serve.
