Times wires
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
PARIS — Even if Novak Djokovic is tennis' man of the moment, there's a long way to go before he would approach most of Roger Federer's accomplishments.
Still, there is one area in which, as of Wednesday, the two men are equal: Djokovic was credited with his 41st consecutive victory, matching the best streak of Federer's career, when second-round opponent Victor Hanescu quit at the French Open because of a left leg injury.
"I'm not thinking about when this streak — this amazing streak — will end. So I guess that's the right mental approach," said the second-seeded Djokovic, who was serving at 6-4, 6-1, 2-3, 30-love when Hanescu stopped.
Other men reaching the third round: No. 3 Federer, No. 7 David Ferrer, and three Frenchmen: No. 9 Gael Monfils, No. 13 Richard Gasquet and No. 17 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Federer improved his career second-round mark at Grand Slams to 42-0 by beating Maxime Teixeira 6-3, 6-0, 6-2.
Asked what he needs to do to continue his run, which began with two Davis Cup victories in December and includes a 39-0 start to 2011, Djokovic replied: "Stay focused, dedicated, motivated. I am still only 24. I have many more years to come. It's been the best five, six months of my career. And I'm very happy with the way I'm playing."
Only three men in the Open era have won more matches in a row, topped by Guillermo Vilas' 46 in 1977. And only one started a season better: John McEnroe began 42-0 in 1984.
In the third round, Djokovic faces 25th-seeded Juan Martin del Potro, who nearly beat Federer in the 2009 French semifinals.
"Knowing that Djokovic is the best player this season, that he's trying to beat a record, is one thing," said del Potro, who has lost all three meetings, "but I need to stop thinking about it to avoid any additional pressure."
Women's winners included No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki, past champions Francesca Schiavone and Svetlana Kuznetsova, 2010 runnerup and Tampa resident Sam Stosur and unseeded American Bethanie Mattek-Sands.
Cramps halt upset: Overcome by dizziness and muscle cramps during a 2½-hour match, qualifier Sabine Lisicki, who was checked by a trainer during third-set changeovers, had to be taken off on a stretcher after losing to Vera Zvonareva 4-6, 7-5, 7-5.
Lisicki led 5-2 in the third set and was one point away from victory. But she sent a forehand return long and never again held a match point, dropping the last five games.
After getting broken while serving for the match at 5-3, Lisicki asked to see a trainer. During the break, she ate an energy bar and a banana and drank liquids. When action resumed, Zvonareva won eight of the next nine points to go up 6-5. After the final point she crouched and began sobbing as Zvonareva came around the net to console her. Lisicki later met with a doctor and was to take medical tests.
"I hope she feels okay," the No. 3-seeded Zvonareva said. "No matter what, I had to keep doing my job."