Tennis - ATP Masters 1000 - Monte Carlo Masters - Monte Carlo Country Club, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France - April 9, 2024 Serbia's Novak Djokovic reacts during his round of 32 match against Russia's Roman Safiullin REUTERS/Denis Balibouse
(Reuters) - World number one Novak Djokovic said his clinical win over Roman Safiullin was one of his best-ever performances at the Monte Carlo Masters, adding that he was feeling great at the outset of a tournament where he has often struggled in recent years.
On Tuesday, Djokovic made an emphatic start with a 6-1 6-2 win over Russia's Safiullin to ease into the third round.
The 36-year-old has won the Monte Carlo crown twice, but has failed to win more than two matches in any campaign since his last title in 2015.
"My feeling was great. I think it's an accurate judgment from the people that it's been one of the best performances I had here in quite a few years," the 24-times Grand Slam champion told reporters.
"Monte-Carlo is the first big tournament of the clay court season. You know, I haven't been really able the last six, seven years to start off strong and start off well. I've always kind of struggled in this tournament.
"But again, it's just the beginning of the tournament. It's one match. I'm going to hope to work tomorrow to maintain that rhythm and focus, obviously try to perform as well as I did in the second match as well as I did today."
The Serbian next faces Italy's Lorenzo Musetti on Thursday.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
