MATHIEU LOSES OUT

Mary Pierce’s countryman, Paul Henri Mathieu, has been defeated by Novak Djokovic of Serbia in the first round match of the Australian Open on Monday. Djokovic won the match in the straight sets by 6-2, 6-4, 7-5. Djokovic had won the Australian Open in the last season and he has started his campaign brilliantly this year as well.

Mathieu had also performed well in the Australian Open last year and had won his first three matches before being defeated in the fourth round. But, he didn’t manage to go that far this time around. He had to face the world no. 1 in his very first match and he needed to do something extraordinary to get rid of the Serbian superstar. But, he was completely outsmarted and seemed to have no answer of Djokovic’s versatile game.

Djokovic smashed a total of 27 winners in the match. He looked in supreme touch and struck the ball effortlessly. He was dominant right through the match and secured a comfortable victory.

He broke Mathieu’s service twice in the opening set and won the set easily by 6-2. Djokovic started the second set brilliantly as well and got a breakthrough in the very first game of the second set. But, he got trailed by 0-40 in the second game and was in the danger of losing the serve. But, the Serbian superstar saved three breakpoints and held the serve to take the lead of 2-0. He maintained that lead till the end of the set and won the second set by 6-4.

In the third set, the first 10 games went with the serve and the scores were levelled at 5-5 at the end of the 10^th game. Djokovic managed to sneak a breakthrough in the 11^th game and then, wrapped up the match with a serve hold in the 12^th game.