DUBAI (Reuters) - World number one Novak Djokovic belatedly began his 2022 campaign with a convincing 6-3 6-3 defeat of Italian teenager Lorenzo Musetti at the Dubai Championships on Monday.
The 34-year-old showed no sign of rust or mental baggage from the Australian Open visa saga that rocked the sports world, producing a polished display to ease into the second round, afterwards describing it as a “pleasant experience.”
It was Djokovic’s first match this year after his Australian Open hopes were dashed when he was deported following an 11-day saga revolving around his decision not to have a COVID-19 vaccination and a controversial exemption he had been granted to play in the event.