Former world No. 1 Novak Djokovic began his clay-court season with a flawless straight-units victory over compatriot Dusan Lajovic within the first spherical of the Monte Carlo Masters.

The 12-time Grand Slam champion, with coach Marian Vajda again in Djokovic’s nook after his current cut up with Andre Agassi and Radek Stepanek, eased to a 6-zero, 6-1 win in solely fifty six minutes on an excellent Monday within the Principality.

Djokovic appeared utterly out of types final month when he slumped to surprising losses to Taro Daniel and Benoit Paire in Indian Wells and Miami, respectively, however stopped the rot in his first match on the pink floor this yr.

The ninth seed from Serbia misplaced simply three factors on serve within the opening set and returned fantastically in a commanding show, wrapping up his first victory because the Australian Open in January.

Djokovic moved much more freely and was calm and composed all through, educating his countryman a lesson to arrange a second-spherical encounter with Borna Coric.

Oh whats up there.

Some classic backhand work from Djokovic. #RolexMCMasters pic.twitter.com/5AlvjRGBur

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) April sixteen, 2018

A two-time champion in Monte Carlo, Djokovic put Lajovic underneath strain from the beginning, a tame forehand into the web placing Djokovic 2-zero up and he had a double break courtesy of an errant backhand from the outsider.

Djokovic didn’t give Lajovic a sniff of a break and sealed the opening set in solely 22 minutes with a chic forehand winner down the road. 

The ninety three-ranked Lajovic lastly acquired on the board with a maintain in his first service recreation of the second set, and Djokovic saved the primary break level he confronted earlier than taking a three-1 lead.

Djokovic was in a rush to get the job executed and Lajovic was put out of his distress when he drilled a backhand broad.