Novak Djokovic got away to a 6-1, 6-4 winning start to the clay season yesterday, with the locally-based world No1 pleased with a second-round defeat of Albert Ramos-Vinolas.
– VIDEO: Angelique Kerber beats Madison Keys to lift Cup
– Roger Federer joins UAE Royals for 2015 IPTL
Djokovic, who lives a few hundred metres from Court Central at the seaside Country Club, was happy to bring home the straight-set win in less than 90 minutes.
“For a first match on clay, it was pretty good,” said the winner of back-to-back hardcourt Masters 1000 titles in the US.
“I’m happy to have started so strong. I can just take positives from today. Maybe there were a few games where I did drop a little bit with intensity and concentration. But overall was a high quality performance and I’m happy for that.
“The fact that I’m playing at home (helps). I practice in this club over the course of 12 months, hard courts, clay courts, I know people who are doing the courts, I’m friends with them.
“It really is a different and very special feeling. So I’m trying to enjoy it and see how far I can go.”
Djokovic is playing for the 142nd week on the ATP No1 ranking, putting him one week ahead of Rafael Nadal on the top honour. Roger Federer, Monte Carlo second seed, leads that statistical category with the all-time best of 302 weeks in the top spot.
Djokovic is also bidding to become the first player to win the opening three ATP Masters 1000 tournaments of the season after claiming Indian Wells and Miami honours.
