Novak Djokovic Survives In Miami Open Amidst Controversy

The third round encounter of the Miami Open 2019 between the World Number one, Novak Djokovic and the Argentine tennis player, Federico Delbonis began with a slow pace in the Hard Rock Stadium of Miami Gardens and later, the match picked up its impetus in the middle of the first set. The Serbian Novak Djokovic dispatched Delbonis 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 and extended his stay in Miami. 

Novak Djokovic got hold of an early break in the opening set and led by 3-1 and soon after the Argentine retaliated for that. The Serb was a bit exasperated upon losing his serve and then dealt a hoarse conversation with the chair umpire. Novak Djokovic claimed the new home of the Miami tournament is a shady location and demanded the officials to switch on the lights.

Umpire: “As soon as you told me I called it.”

Novak Djokovic: “Why wasn’t it switched on before.”

Umpire: “It wasn’t my decision but I called it.”

Novak Djokovic: “Ok so what is it going to be?”

Umpire: “It is just the time now to switch it on.”

Novak Djokovic: “It is not switching on. I am not going to play in this dark.”

As the Serb called upon halting his match in the middle and then the officials immediately fulfilled his order and switched on the lights in the stadium.

“It is too dark down there now,” he said. “I am not sure it is a solvable problem as this tournament moves forward. From early in the day this court is in shade and it has the feel of an indoor tournament which is unfortunate. I am surprised they didn’t have the lights on a bit earlier, to be honest. It has not got considerably darker to be fair.”

In the second set, Delbonis was 1-3 down and tussled against the Serbian, Novak Djokovic to stay in the match. With his lethal forehands, Delbonis seized the second set 6-4 against Novak Djokovic and pushed the set to the decider.

The Argentine hit 13 winners in the second set and the Serb could manage to produce just three of them. In the third set, the Serbian was refusing to lose points and just dropped a game and moved forward into the pre-quarters of the Miami Open 2019 where he will see the Spaniard, Roberto Bautista Agut.