29 May 2013

Djokovic wins close first round match at Roland Garros

11:41 am on 29 May 2013

World number one Novak Djokovic, bidding to win a first French Open and become just the eighth man to complete a career grand slam, scored a tight straight-sets victory over David Goffin of Belgium to reach the second round at Roland Garros.

The top-seeded Serb won 7-6, 6-4, 7-5 and will face Guido Pella of Argentina for a place in the last 32.

Djokovic, runner-up to Rafael Nadal last year, was forced to wait to get his first round underway after heavy rain had robbed the schedule of more than four hours of play.

13 matches of the 40 scheduled have been held over until tomorrow.

Troubled Australian Bernard Tomic retired from his first-round match against Victor Hanescu with a muscle tear.

The world No.61 then launched a passionate defence of his father and coach John Tomic who is facing criminal charges in Spain after being accused of assaulting his son's training partner.

Other winners today included number 9 seed Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland, Dmitry Tursunov of Russia and 12th seed Tommy Haas of Germany.