Novak Djokovic is one of the favourites to win the Australian Open 2017 title, and the former world No. 1 showed his class against Spain's Fernando Verdasco in the first-round of the year's first grand slam at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne on Tuesday (January 17). The Serb won in straight sets: 6-1, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2. However, it was Ivo Karlovic's encounter with Horacio Zeballos, which grabbed headlines on Tuesday with the match lasting for 5 hours and 15 minutes with the former winning 6-7 (6), 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 22-20.
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Verdasco, who has defeated Djokovic four times in the past, was expected to give a tough fight but the defending champion was too hot to handle from the very beginning. Djokovic pocketed the opening set 6-1.
Verdasco, ranked 40, however, tried to match his opponent's prowess in the second set. He raised his game by a few notches after the disappointing first set and took the second into the tie-breakers. Both players exhibited some amazing ground strokes, treating the audience to a spectacle. But it was Djokovic who eventually prevailed and won the tir-breaker 7-4 to grab the second set as well. Verdasco, on the other hand, was seen losing his cool after missing out on some close points.
Once Verdasco's resistance was broke, it was just a matter of time before Djokovic finished off the match. The Serb rushed to 3-0 in the third set in no time and won it 6-2. Verdasco, despite his decent record against Djokovic, could do little the day his famous opponent was on a roll.
While Djokovic won in straight sets, it turned out to be a marathon for Karlovic. The Croatian was involved in a brilliant contest against Zeballos, who will consider himself unlucky after taking a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five contest. The 68th ranked player gave it all, entertained the crowd, but fell short of the finishing line. Karlovic came from behind to reach the second round of the competition.
All the five sets were close, but it was the final set, which was the most thrilling of all, where 42 games were played. Even more shocking, the fifth set lasted for two hours and 37 minutes. Karlovic broke his opponent's serve in the 42nd game of the fifth set to finally win the match in one of the best games of the Australian Open 2017 so far.
