By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, May 12, 2016
Force-fed a bagel for the first time in four years, Novak Djokovic rallied for a 0-6, 6-3, 6-2 win over Thomaz Bellucci to set up a Rome quarterfinal vs. Rafael Nadal.
Photo credit: Internazionali BNL d'Italia
Shutout for a set as he slipped and slid around the clay, Novak Djokovic was bullied around but not beaten down by Thomaz Bellucci's onslaught.
When he finally held to snap a six game slide, Djokovic thrust his arms in the air in mock celebration like a marathoner crossing a long-awaited finish line.
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Though his game was MIA, Djokovic's sense of humor was still intact.
Force-fed a bagel for the first time in four years, Djokovic maintained his calm and regained his appetite for the fight.
The four-time Rome champion fought back for a 0-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Bellucci to set up a marquee quarterfinal with rival Rafael Nadal. It was Djokovic's 12th straight win in the Eternal City.
The fifth-seeded Spaniard also rallied from a set down defeating Wimbledon nemesis Nick Kyrgios, 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-4 in an entertaining two hours, 39 minutes.
Good news for Nadal: Both of Djokovic's losses this season have come against left handers. Feliciano Lopez prevailed when Djokovic retired from the Dubai quarterfinals with an eye infection and former junior No. 1 Jiri Vesely knocked a weary Djokovic out of his Monte Carlo opener.
Bad news for Nadal: Djokovic has won six straight, sweeping the last 13 sets they've played in seizing a 25-23 lead in their historic head-to-head series.
The gluten-free Serbian eats bagels about as often as the marble statues standing sentry at the Foro Italico stage pizza parties.
Though Bellucci was winless in their five prior meetings, he tested Djokovic in the Rome round of 16 last May before the top seeded broke twice in the final set beating back a 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 challenge to extend his Masters winning streak to 34 matches.
The world No. 37 took the court with an unimposing 7-12 record, including a seven-match losing skid earlier this spring. Punishing his forehand with malice, Bellucci was inspired while Djokovic was flat at the outset.
Dragging a pair of crosscourt forehands wide, Djokovic dropped serve at 15 to open the match.
Controlling the center of the court with his lefty topspin forehand, Bellucci won 12 of the first 13 points, including 10 in a row, backing up a love hold with a love break for a 3-0 lead.
Serving down 0-4, Djokovic netted a bail-out backhand drop shot then slapped a forehand into net. Bellucci snatched his third break for a 5-0 lead just 20 minutes into a shellacking.
Bullied by the Brazilian in baseline rallies, even Djokovic's vaunted return game showed cracks. He flat-lined a forehand return into net to end a lopsided 25-minute opener.
Shockingly, Bellucci dispensed a bagel to the world No. 1—the first time Djokovic suffered a shutout set since Roger Federer swept him, 6-0, 7-6, in the 2012 Cincinnati final.
Swinging freely, Bellucci banged an overhead to deny Djokovic game point at the start of the second set. By then, Bellucci had won nine of 10 points played on the top-seeded Serbian's second serve.
When Bellucci sent a stray forehand long, Djokovic raised his arms in the air smiling in mock triumph finally snapping the shutout after 33 minutes.
The fact Djokovic could make light of his predicament rather than delve into self-destruction showed his spirit was still in it even if his game was sporadic.
The four-time champion found his range from the baseline, showed a willingness to grind and sharpened up his return.
In the sixth game, Djokovic gained 0-30 on the Brazilian's serve for the first time. Facing pressure for the first time, Bellucci double faulted to donate the break and a 4-2 second-set lead to his opponent.
A swooping forehand swing volley backed up the break at love for 5-2.
Bending low for a backhand, Djokovic redirected it down the line behind Bellucci for double set point. He evened the match on an errant drop shot.
A crackling 30-shot rally ended with Bellucci over hitting a forehand as Djokovic broke with a clenched fist to open the final set.
While Djokovic sustained the break, Bellucci did not back off. Pressured again in the sixth game, Djokovic fought back from 15-30 down to hold for 4-2 with a clear "come on!"
Djokovic converted his third break extended to 5-2. He closed the comeback in 97 minutes reaching the Rome quarterfinals for the 10th time.