Djokovic returns to ATP Tour action in style with easy win over Andujar in Tel Aviv

Top seed Novak Djokovic made a winning return to the ATP Tour on Thursday as she beat Spaniard Pablo Andujar 6-0, 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals of the Tel Aviv Open.

In his first Tour outing since Wimbledon, the Serb was almost flawless in the first set and though he was pushed more in the second set, he ran out a convincing winner.

Djokovic, ranked No 7, will face Canadian lucky loser Vasek Pospisil for a place in the last four.

No sign of wrist trouble for Djokovic

Djokovic missed the US Open – and all events in the US this summer – because he was unable to enter the country due to his refusal to take the Covid-19 vaccine. He played two singles matches at the Laver Cup last weekend but arrived in Tel Aviv with a slight concern about his right wrist, which he had strapped in London.

But there were no signs of discomfort on Thursday as he dropped just five points in the first five games on his way to wrapping up the first set.

Andujar, ranked No 115, won a 25-minute second game to get on the board and then held his own to 4-3, when Djokovic broke, before serving out the match.

The Spaniard won against Brazilian Thiago Monteiro (7-6 (3), 6-1) in the previous round.

Tel Aviv ATP 250, other second-round results (Expo Tel Aviv, USD 949.475, most recent results first):

• Vasek Pospisil beat Edan Leshem (Q): 6-3, 6-2
• Arthur Rinderknech beat Diego Schwartzman (3): 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7)
• Liam Broady (Q) beat Botic van de Zandschulp (5): 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
• Constant Lestienne beat Emil Ruusuvuori: 6-4, 6-2
• Marin Čilić (2) beat Dominic Thiem (WC): 6-7 (6), 6-2, 6-4
• Maxime Cressy (4) beat Sebastian Korda: 6-4, 6-4
• Roman Safiullin beat Tomas Martin Etcheverry: 6-1, 6-4

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