Novak Djokovic says his thrashing of Australian Matthew Ebden in just 53 minutes at the Olympics was “not a good reflection” on tennis and called for a rule change.
For most of the afternoon under the Phillippe Chatrier Court roof, Perth doubles specialist Ebden, 36, worked hard and played his first tour-level singles match in two years.
Selected for the tournament as a last-minute replacement, Ebden always knew it was “mission impossible” against the 24-time Grand Slam winner.
As he struggled from 6-0 and 4-0 down, the full house kept urging him on to break serve, and when Ebden finally held serve, he smiled broadly, stretched out his arms and pulled his yellow Australian jersey over his head in celebration.
“I feel sorry for Matt, he told me on the net that it was his first match in two years and that he had officially retired from his singles career,” Djokovic said after completing the 53-minute rout.
“Obviously, he’s focused on doubles, so it was tough for him.”
The great Serbian did not see much point in the match.
“I don’t really understand the rules,” he said.
Novak Djokovic says his victory over Australian Matthew Ebden in just 53 minutes at the Olympics “did not give a good impression”
Matt Ebden was playing his first tour-level singles match in two years.
‘I don’t think it makes sense that someone retires from singles and you call up a doubles player to play singles.
‘To be honest, I don’t think it’s a good image for the sport. There are a lot of individual players who had a long time to get here and could have been called up.
‘I don’t understand this part at all. I hope the ITF (International Tennis Federation) and the Olympics change the rule because it was tough on Matt.
‘He hasn’t played singles in two years.’
Another Australian fell just as quickly as Rinky Hijikata was beaten 6-2 6-1 by fourth seed Daniil Medvedev.
As for Djokovic, this was the ideal mild warm-up for a potential second-round thriller with Rafael Nadal, who must first beat Marton Fucsovics in their first-round encounter.
“There is a lot of anticipation around that match,” Djokovic smiled.
“It could be a huge success, one of the events that people look forward to at these Olympic Games and I look forward to what could be our last dance, so to speak, on this court.”
The Serbian superstar said he hopes the rules will be changed because they are not logical.
Nadal later said he was unsure whether he would play the singles, because he wants to give himself the best chance of winning a medal.
It is likely to be in doubles with Carlos Alcaraz, the Spanish star team that defeated Argentines Máximo González and Andrés Molteni 7-6 (7-4) 6-4.
Alcaraz also won his singles match 6-3, 6-1 against Lebanese Hady Habib on the Suzanne Lenglen indoor court in a rain-affected programme.
Two other Australians were eliminated: Daria Saville and Ellen Perez fell to top-seeded Americans Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula 6-3, 6-1.
In the women’s singles, four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka, who lit the cauldron at the Tokyo Olympics, lost her first-round match to another multiple Grand Slam winner, Angelique Kerber, 7-5, 6-3.
He appeared to injure his left leg at 4-3 in the second set, failing to win another game.
“I think I need to learn how to win again. Maybe it’s something I forgot to do,” Osaka said.
After stepping away from the sport for mental health reasons and to give birth to her daughter, the former world number one is currently ranked 100th.
Three-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek also advanced, as did Wimbledon runner-up Jasmine Paolini.