World number one Djokovic is the last of the top four seeds standing at the Paris Masters as he battled past unseeded Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor 4-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4, despite a stomach issue, on Thursday.
It was not the routine victory Djokovic enjoyed in his return to action a day earlier against Tomas Etcheverry, as he recovered from a set down to eventually win in two hours 39 minutes.
“I started off well but I ran out of steam. I’ve been struggling the last couple of days with my stomach and I just didn’t feel myself at all,” said Djokovic after the match.
“I don’t want to take anything away from his performance. He didn’t drop the level,” he added of Griekspoor.
The Serb took an early break in the first set but surprisingly cracked at 4-2 as his opponent broke back and then went on to win four consecutive games to claim the opener 6-4.
The pair were inseparable in the second set as neither could force a break to gain the advantage, with the encounter rumbling inevitably towards a tiebreaker.
Djokovic showed his steel and compo-sure to level the match with an imperious performance in the tiebreak, claiming it with minimal fuss.—APP
