Djokovic on groin alert but safely into third round
By Julien Pretot PARIS (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic's hopes of completing a career grand slam by winning the French Open suffered a scare when he needed a medical timeout during a 6-1 6-4 6-4 win over Luxembourg's Gilles Muller at Roland Garros on Thursday. The top seed slipped on the clay in the second set of the second round match and stretched his right groin, calling for the physio at the change of ends after the ninth game. "Thankfully it's nothing major so it's not a concern for the next match," Djokovic told a news conference. "It wasn't pleasant with the conditions that were changing today, and I think a little bit of heavier conditions made the court a little bit more wet and it was pretty slippery. "So I think that's when it happened, I made a couple of slides that were quite, I'd say, unusual, you know, with change of directions. "And it happened in those dynamic movements, jammed the hip a little bit. Thankfully, it's nothing serious, really. It's going to be fine." Apart from the injury scare it was a straightforward victory for the Serb who dropped serve only once. After converting match point with a service winner he went and shook hands with Paris St Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic who was watching in the crowd. Djokovic next faces Australia's hot prospect Thanasi Kokkinakis, with a potential quarter-final clash against nine-times Roland Garros champion Rafa Nadal looming. After his next match, Djokovic might pay Ibrahimovic a visit as the Sweden striker plays for PSG in the French Cup final against Ligue 2 side AJ Auxerre at the neighboring Stade de France on Saturday. "We are friends. It was great to have him here today. I'm his fan. I love the way he plays football. I know him personally, as well," said Djokovic. "Of course, that makes us even more closer and I went to watch him. He played for AC Milan and ever since then we are friends and we are in touch and, whenever we can, we watch each other perform." (Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Martyn Herman and Ken Ferris)
