Vintage Djokovic Neutralizes Dangerous Struff to Advance. In a match that was far more perilous than the final score might suggest, Novak Djokovic demonstrated once again why he is a master of the grand slam stage, systematically ending the inspired run of German qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 to book his place in the next round.
Struff, riding a wave of confidence from qualifying and battling through the main draw, came out with a game plan built on pure power. His massive serve and flat, penetrating groundstrokes aimed to blow Djokovic off the court. For brief moments, it seemed it might work, as he traded blows from the baseline. But facing Djokovic is a chess match, and the Serbian grandmaster had all the answers.
Game Match Adjustments: The Djokovic Blueprint
The key to Djokovic’s victory was his incredible ability to make micro-adjustments as the match progressed. After Struff held firm in the first few games, Djokovic shifted his returning position, stepping several feet behind the baseline to neutralize the 130+ mph serves. This gave him the extra millisecond needed to not only get the return in play but to guide it deep, effectively negating Struff’s biggest weapon and starting the point on neutral terms.
"He's a big server, very aggressive, so you have to be locked in," Djokovic said in his post-match interview. "I knew I had to take away his time. I started reading his serve better as the match went on and found a good rhythm from the back of the court."
Play to Winning: Exploiting the Weakness
The most telling pattern of the match was Djokovic’s ruthless execution of the "play to winning" strategy. Rather than engaging in high-risk, low-percentage rallies, he focused on extending points, absorbing Struff’s power, and waiting for the inevitable error or short ball. The statistics were telling: while Struff hammered 28 winners, he also committed 42 unforced errors. Djokovic, by contrast, had a cleaner 22 winners to just 18 errors, a masterclass in disciplined, winning tennis.
Finding the Weak Side
A recurring theme was Djokovic’s relentless probing of the Struff backhand. While the German’s forehand is a formidable weapon, his single-handed backhand is less stable under prolonged pressure. Djokovic, with laser-like precision, sent over 70% of his groundstrokes to that wing in extended rallies. This constant pressure eventually broke down Struff’s technique, forcing slices or weaker replies that Djokovic could pounce on, either driving a winner inside-out to the ad court or wrong-footing his opponent with a sharp angle.
The Immeasurable Edge: High Experience
When asked what the difference was in the key moments, the answer was experience. At 4-4 in the second set, with Struff building momentum, Djokovic faced a break point. A less experienced player might panic. Djokovic responded with an unreturnable body serve, a crushing cross-court winner, and an ace to hold. He then broke Struff’s serve in the next game to love. This sequence—snuffing out hope and seizing opportunity in a blink—is the hallmark of a player with a deep reservoir of experience in every conceivable high-pressure situation.
Expert Advice: What the Analysts Said
Tennis analysts were unanimous in their praise for Djokovic’s tactical performance.
"Novak didn't beat Struff with flashy tennis today; he beat him with IQ," remarked a former champion in the commentary booth. "He identified the pattern: serve to the backhand, return deep to the backhand, rally to the backhand. He gave Struff no pace to work with on that side and just waited. It was a clinic in strategic execution."
Another analyst highlighted the mental fortitude: "The most impressive thing is his emotional control. Struff was firing up the crowd, hitting huge shots, but Novak never deviated from the plan. He knew that over five sets, his game, his physique, and his strategy would prevail. That’s the confidence of 24 major titles."
Djokovic moves on, his title defense very much alive. While the headlines will go to the flashy winners and powerful newcomers, this match was a stark reminder that at this level, the most powerful weapon of all is a brilliant mind, constantly adjusting and expertly dissecting an opponent piece by piece.