INDIAN WELLS, Calif.—Andrey Golubev beat Djokovic two weeks ago in Dubai. But it was the wrong Djokovic. The No. 2 Kazakhstan-player dismissed Marko Djokovic, Novak's 20-year-old brother in the Middle East. Today in the California desert, Djokovic got revenge for his younger brother's loss by bullying Golubev 6-3, 6-2.
Once ranked No. 33 in 2010, the 24-year-old Golubev is a shot-maker of high order, but he lacks consistency. In Golubev's profile on the ATP web site, it states that "his goal is to be the world No. 1." Today he played the world No. 1, and the No. 145th-ranked Golubev, who made his way through the qualifiers, got a first-hand tutorial on what it takes to be No. 1.
Controlling the middle of the court, Djokovic beat Golubev into submission by running the Kazakhistani all over the court. Able to absorb pace and return shots with interest, the Serb didn't play his cleanest match, but he had Golubev muttering to himself early and often and mis-hitting shots on both wings in this lopsided match. Playing on American soil for the first time since his U.S. Open triumph, and defending his title in Indian Wells, Djokovic displayed why only a heavy-hitting, relentless attack can offset him. Golubev has one of the nicest one-handed backhands on tour, and his ground strokes were probing enough to break Djokovic at 2-4 in the first set, but Djokovic broke right back. Even though, Golubev saved two set points at 3-5, Djokovic hit two big first serves to close out the set, 6-3.
In the second set, Djokovic broke in the third game and again to close out the match, when the beleaguered Kazakshtani hit three double faults and then saw a Djokovic backhand return of serve hit the net and dribble over for a winner. If there was any possible concern on Djokovic's part, it might be that he struck only one ace over the entire match. Kevin Anderson, who won in a walkover against Philipp Kohlschreiber, is Djokovic's third-round opponent. Anderson is seeded No. 29 at Indian Wells and just won the Delray Beach event last week. The 6-foot-8 South African also holds a Masters Series event win over the world No. 1, when he beat Djokovic in Miami in 2008. But since then, Djokovic has won their last three matches without dropping a set.
—Dan Markowitz