Novak Djokovic, aiming to secure his first Olympic gold medal, started his latest campaign with a commanding victory over Australia’s Matthew Ebden.
Playing on Court Philippe-Chatrier in Paris, Djokovic won 6-0, 6-1 in just 53 minutes, as per CNN.
The Serbian star, who has 24 Grand Slam titles, displayed his dominance despite recent knee surgery. Ebden, primarily a doubles specialist and unranked in singles, struggled against Djokovic’s powerful play.
The match, played under the arena's roof due to heavy rain, saw Djokovic convert six out of nine break points without facing any from Ebden.
Djokovic, playing his first match since losing to Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final, now potentially faces Rafael Nadal in the second round. Winning this tournament would make Djokovic the third man, alongside Nadal and Andre Agassi, to achieve a career golden slam.
He expressed, "Playing in the Olympic Games is very rare for us tennis players. Representing your country is always the highest honor. I started off great."
Ebden, who entered the singles draw as an alternate, humorously celebrated his lone game win by pulling his shirt over his head, much to the crowd's amusement.
However, Djokovic swiftly concluded the match with a backhand winner.
Djokovic’s best Olympic performance was a bronze medal in 2008.
