Paris: Novak Djokovic tightened his grip on the ATP Year-End No. 1 honour on Wednesday when he moved past Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-3, 6-2 to reach the third round at the Paris Masters.
The World No. 1 Serb leads Carlos Alcaraz by 580 points in the ATP Live Race To Turin and could extended his advantage to 1,495 points by winning a record-extending seventh title in Paris-Bercy after the Spaniard lost in his opening match on Tuesday, ATP Tour reports.
Djokovic is chasing a record-extending 40th ATP Masters 1000 title and will next play Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor.
The 36-year-old delivered precise shots from the baseline, forcing the Argentine player to cover the entire court. Djokovic managed to break Etcheverry’s serve three times while making only nine unforced errors to advance in one hour and 23 minutes.
The 96-time tour-level champion holds a standout 46-9 record at the indoor hard-court event.
The top seed Serbian, who is 47-5 on the year, is competing in singles for the first time since the Davis Cup in September. He has lifted major trophies at the Australian Open, Roland Garros and US Open this year, while also triumphing in Cincinnati and Adelaide.
–IANS