Serbia’s Novak Djokovic celebrates after beating Spain’s Albert Montanes at the ATP Rome Open tennis tournament at the Foro Italico yesterday in Rome. (AFP)

AFP/Rome

Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki is still without a win in a major clay-court tournament this season as the French Open approaches after losing a marathon match to Bojana Jovanovski 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) at the ATP/WTA Rome Masters yesterday.

The 10th-seeded Wozniacki laboured for almost three hours in a struggle which ended in front of a standing-room only crowd as she lost to her 48th-ranked opponent in their first-round match.

With her victory, the 21-year-old from Belgrade ended a poor run of form and claimed her first win since mid-January at the Australian Open.

Wozniacki had beaten the Serb in both of their previous meetings, but was burdened with six double-faults in her Rome defeat while losing serve seven times.

Russian Maria Kirilenko restored order for the seeds at the Foro Italico as the number 12 beat Spain’s Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-3, 6-3. Meanwhile, German Julia Goerges advanced over Czech Andrea Hlavackova despite losing the opening set and Varvara Lepchenko of the US defeated Lesya Tsurenko 6-4, 6-2.

In the men’s ATP draw, Mikhail Youzhny provided the first minor upset as he put out German 13th seed Tommy Haas 6-4, 6-3.

The 35-year-old Haas won the Munich clay title little more than a week ago and reached the third round in Madrid.   

In other first-round results, Spain’s Fernando Verdasco beat Argentina’s Horacio Zeballos in three sets, while Frenchman Jeremy Chardy also needed three sets before beating Spaniard Feliciano Lopez 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/4).

Novak Djokovic recovered from his shock defeat in Madrid to ease past Albert Montanes 6-2 6-3 in the second round of the Rome Masters yesterday.

The world number one lost in three sets to Grigor Dimitrov last week on the Madrid clay, but a repeat was not on the cards in Rome once the Serbian recovered from losing an early service game against Montanes.

From 2-1 down, Djokovic took the first set without losing another game and broke the Spaniard early in the second to set up a winning platform.  

“This win means a lot to me because I didn’t have a great week in Madrid. I didn’t play much, I didn’t practise much,” said Djokovic, who is already planning for the French Open and Wimbledon.

“I worked very hard to prepare for this tournament. I need to be emotionally and physically fit and I think I’m heading in the right direction.”

Djokovic and Montanes followed Dimitrov on court in Rome after the Bulgarian’s 6-4 6-4 defeat by ninth seed Richard Gasquet of France.

RESULTS 

Women: First round: Bojana Jovanovski (SRB) bt Caroline Wozniacki (DEN x10) 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/5); Maria Kirilenko (RUS x12) bt Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) 6-3, 6-3; Julia Goerges (GER) bt Andrea Hlavackova (CZE) 2-6, 6-4, 6-4; Varvara Lepchenko (USA) bt Lesya Tsurenko (UKR) 6-4, 6-2; Roberta Vinci (ITA x13) bt Elena Vesnina (RUS) 6-7 (2/7), 7-5, 6-4; Dominika Cibulkova (SVK x14) bt Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) 1-6, 6-2, 6-2; Ursula Radwanska (POL) bt Ana Ivanovic (SRB x15) 6-3, 2-6, 6-2; Christina McHale (USA) bt Karen Knapp (ITA) 7-5, 6-2; Zheng Jie (CHN) bt Madelina Rybarikova (SVK) 7-6 (7/0), 6-3; Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) bt Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) 6-4, 6-0

 Second round: Petra Kvitova (CZE x8) bt Sabine Lisicki (GER) 6-4, 0-6, 7-5

Men: First round: Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) bt Tommy Haas (GER x13) 6-4, 6-3; Fernando Verdasco (ESP) bt Horacio Zeballos (ARG) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3; Jeremy Chardy (FRA) bt Feliciano Lopez (ESP) 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/4); Julien Benneteau (FRA) bt Nicolas Almagro (ESP x12) 7-6 (7/2), 6-4; Gilles Simon (FRA) bt Filippo Volandri (ITA) 6-3, 2-6, 6-4; Viktor Troicki (SRB) bt Lukas Rosol (CZE) 3-6, 6-1, 6-4