Tokyo Olympics 2020: Novak Djokovic vs Hugo Dellien preview, head-to-head & prediction

Match Details

Fixture: (1) Novak Djokovic vs Hugo Dellien

Date: 24 July 2021

Tournament: Tokyo Olympics 2020

Round: First round (Round of 64)

Venue: Ariake Tennis Park, Tokyo, Japan

Category: Olympic Games

Surface: Outdoor hard

Match timing: Approx. 5 pm local time, 8 am GMT, 4 am ET, 1.30 pm IST

Live telecast: USA - NBC & Peacock TV | UK - BBC TV | India - SonyLiv

Novak Djokovic vs Hugo Dellien preview

Hugo Dellien achieved a career-high ranking of 72 in 2020

World No. 1 and top seed Novak Djokovic will take on unseeded Bolivian Hugo Dellien in the first round of the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday. The Serb, who has been in supreme form this year, is vying for his first ever Olympic gold medal.

After winning the bronze in 2008, Djokovic failed to secure a podium spot in 2012 and 2016, losing to Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro on both occasions. He was defeated by the lanky Argentine in the bronze medal playoff in London in 2012 and then in the very first round at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

However, it will take something extraordinary to defeat Djokovic this year. He has won each of the three Grand Slams played so far this year, thereby joining Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on 20 Grand Slam titles.

Djokovic's first-round opponent, Hugo Dellien, is currently ranked 139 in the world. Dellien achieved a career-high ranking of 72 in 2020, becoming the highest-ranked player from his country since Mario Martinez in 1983.

Dellien mainly plies his trade on the Challenger circuit and rarely features on the ATP tour. The 28-year-old has just one win on the main tour this year, which came at the Rome Masters in May.

Novak Djokovic vs Hugo Dellien head-to-head

Novak Djokovic and Hugo Dellien have never faced off against each other on the tour, so their current head-to-head stands at 0-0.

Novak Djokovic vs Hugo Dellien prediction

Given the form Djokovic is currently in and his ambition to win the Calendar Golden Slam, it will take a superhuman effort to eliminate him. The top-ranked Serb has looked extremely determined and focussed in every match he's played this year.

Up against an unseeded player in Dellien, it should be smooth sailing for Djokovic. The Bolivian is solid from the baseline but he lacks the weapons to pose any sort of threat to the Serb.

Prediction: Novak Djokovic to win in straight sets.