MASON, Ohio — Novak Djokovic fell in his first match in the USA since 2021, dropping in doubles Tuesday within the Western & Southern Open.
Djokovic and Nikola Cacic misplaced 6-4, 6-2 to Jamie Murray and Michael Venus within the Serbian star’s return to the nation after lacking occasions due to COVID-19 vaccine restrictions.
Djokovic was taking part in his first aggressive match since falling to top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz within the Wimbledon remaining.
The winner of a document 23 Grand Slam singles titles, Djokovic is about to open singles play Wednesday evening in opposition to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
Alcaraz confronted Australian qualifier Jordan Thompson in a late match. The defending U.S. Open champion was in place to turn out to be the primary ATP participant to achieve 50 wins this season.
In ladies’s play, former U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens reached the third spherical for the primary time since 2019 with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory over sixth-seeded defending match champion Caroline Garcia.
Stephens, who received in New York in 2017, improved to 2-8 in her final 10 matches in opposition to top-10 gamers. Each of the wins have been in opposition to Garcia.
Fifth-seeded Ons Jabeur, in her first match since dropping the Wimbledon remaining, overcame a 5-1 deficit within the third set to prime Anhelina Kalinina 6-3, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (2).
