Djokovic now 38-0; wins Paris opener

Associated Press

PARIS

Shhhhhh! Don’t say a word. Novak Djokovic is perfect so far in 2011, and superstition demands silence, lest he be jinxed.

Djokovic himself insists he isn’t keeping tabs on his unbeaten run, which reached 38-0 this season — and 40 consecutive victories dating to December — thanks to a 6-2, 6-1, 6-3 win over Thiemo de Bakker of the Netherlands in the first round of the French Open on Monday.

“I’m not counting,” the second-seeded Djokovic said with a smile.

“I’m not trying to think about the streak that I have,” he added, “even though it’s definitely something that makes me proud.”

Others certainly are thinking about it. Indeed, it’s the talk of the year’s second Grand Slam tournament. Straight-set victories Monday at Roland Garros by other top players such as Roger Federer, top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki or defending champion Francesca Schiavone — and even 2010 semifinalist Tomas Berdych’s surprising five-set loss to a French qualifier — didn’t merit as much attention as Djokovic did.

The Serb, who won his second Australian Open title in January, is closing in on the Open era record for best start to a tennis season by a man, John McEnroe’s 42-0 in 1984. He’s also only the sixth man in the Open era to win 40 matches in a row; Guillermo Vilas set the high of 46 in 1977.

But Djokovic’s pals on tour aren’t exactly making a big deal about it at the moment.

“In the beginning — I know him very well — I’d kind of joke, ‘Hey, let someone else win.’ ... Now you almost stay away. It’s almost like a pitcher going for a no-hitter,” said the highest-seeded American, No. 10 Mardy Fish, who beat Ricardo Mello of Brazil 6-2, 6-7 (11), 6-2, 6-4.

In the second round, Djokovic will meet 60th-ranked Victor Hanescu of Romania. Win that, and Djokovic could take on 25th-seeded Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina. The 2009 U.S. Open champion hasn’t been the same player since right wrist surgery last year but got past 6-foot-10 Ivo Karlovic of Croatia 6-7 (7), 6-3, 7-5, 6-4, then declared: “I’m not thinking about Djokovic yet.”

Roger Federer defeated Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (3). Two other seeded men lost: No. 22 Michael Llodra of France, and No. 26 Milos Raonic of Canada.

Llodra left on an ugly note, likening the atmosphere at his court to an Arab marketplace after receiving a warning from Moroccan chair umpire Mohamed El Jennati for throwing a ball at a female security guard in the stands.

TV footage showed Llodra telling El Jennati: “We are not in a souk. We are not selling carpets in a market.”