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Fixture: (1) Novak Djokovic vs Luca Van Assche
Tournament: Srpska Open 2023
Date: Wednesday, April 19
Round: Second Round (Round of 16)
Venue: Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Category: ATP 250
Surface: Outdoor clay
Prize money: €562,815
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Tennis TV
Novak Djokovic vs Luca Van Assche preview
Top seed Novak Djokovic opens his campaign at the inaugural Sprska Open against French teenager Luca Van Assche.
The World No. 1 is coming off a surprise third-round exit to Lorenzo Musetti at the Monte-Carlo Masters last week, which was his second defeat in three matches. Last month, Djokovic saw his 15-match winning start to the season snapped by eventual winner Daniil Medvedev in the Dubai semifinals.
Djokovic is having an impressive season, racking up titles at Adelaide 1 and the Australian Open - where he won a record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam title. Having missed the North American hardcourt swing due to his COVID-19 vaccination stance, the Serb is looking to get up and running on the European clay swing.
Meanwhile, World No. 87 Van Assche improved to 2-4 on the season after recovering from a set down to beat three-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka in his opener. The 18-year-old's only other win this year came at Estoril, but he has been on a tear on the Challenger Tour, racking up titles in Pau and Sanremo.
Novak Djokovic vs Luca Van Assche head-to-head
The two players have never met before, so their head-to-head record stands at 0-0.
Novak Djokovic vs Luca Van Assche odds
(All odds as per BETMGM)
Novak Djokovic vs Luca Van Assche prediction
Both Djokovic and Van Assche like to dominate opponents from the back of the court, but the similarities in their game styles end there. The contrast in pedigree between the two players makes this matchup a mismatch on paper.
Djokovic is widely regarded as one of the best players in the sport's history and has no apparent weakness. One of the sport's best counterpunchers, the Serb has found success on all surfaces, especially on clay, where he has won two Roland Garros and six Rome Masters titles, among others.
Van Assche, meanwhile, has just started out and tends to play his best tennis on hardcourts. The Frenchman is also a greenhorn, especially on clay, where he has won only two matches. Meanwhile, Djokovic has won 258 matches on the red dirt.
Pick: Djokovic in straight sets
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