It was still a game to learn and Enzo Couacaud did not miss the game, against Novak Djokovic, a fairly quiet winner in four sets 6-1, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 6 -0 this Thursday. But not without having to abandon the 2nd round to the French, on fire for the space of a round.
For Couacaud, 27, 191st in the world, from qualifying and winner of a first round against Bolivian Hugo Dellien (131st) 6-4, 7-5, 6-0, it was his first appearance in the main draw in Melbourne and therefore his first gallop, against a favorite on the Rod Laver Arena.
The Frenchman, for whom this is only the fourth Grand Slam outing (a round passed at Roland-Garros in 2021) stammered his tennis in the first set lost 6-1, before giving the full measure of his talent in the second. .
Not content with dismissing three break points in the sleeve, the Frenchman rose to the level of the Serb for the space of a decisive game, attacking Djokovic. Led 3 points to zero, he equalized, then again prevented the world n°5 from completing the set, while the latter was serving at 5 points to 4. After which, solid and aggressive in the exchange, Couacaud pushed Djoko into his entrenchments of the moment to return to a round everywhere, on a too long backhand of the latter.
Unfortunately for the French, the result was not the same barrel. The nine-time winner from Melbourne tightened the bolts from the start of the 3rd set and folded the meeting in straight sets 6-2, 6-0.
“We must pay tribute to Enzo who was able to push the match to a fourth set,” said Djokovic on the court, refusing to dwell on the thigh injury which obviously handicaps him.
The Serb, who had been prevented from playing last year for lack of anti-covid vaccine, got away with it against an opponent who was not very seasoned at this level, but his behavior is worrying for the rest of his tournament, before facing the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov (28th) for a place in the 1/8th final.
Significantly limited in his movements from 4-5 in the second set he asked for a medical time-out to go out for treatment.
During this very tense match due to the uncertainty hovering around the Serb as to the intensity of the pain, the seriousness of the injury and his ability to resist it, he suddenly asked the referee for the expulsion of a spectator too noisy for his taste.
“There is a guy, drunk as a pig, who provokes me from the first point. What are you going to do ? Why don’t you ask security to get him out? the player asked the referee at 2-0 in the fourth set. The four troublemakers were effectively sent off during the next change of sides. And “Djoko” completed the match.