PARIS – Matthew Ebden didn’t expect to last long against Novak Djokovic in the first round of the Olympics on Saturday and he wasn’t wrong – but the Serb wondered why the Australian doubles specialist was allowed to play singles.
Ebden, 36, was beaten 6-0 6-1 by the top seed in 53 minutes and jokingly offered his racket to a fan inside Court Philippe Chatrier after losing the first eight games.
He then received the biggest applause of the match when he celebrated his victory while trailing 4-0 in the second set.
Three-time Grand Slam doubles champion Ebden, who will be a podium contender in Paris alongside John Peers, was only placed in the singles draw after a string of top singles players withdrew through illness or injury, including world number one Jannik Sinner.
Ebden posted a humorous message on Instagram after Thursday’s draw pitted him against the 24-time Grand Slam champion for the first time in his career, but Djokovic, 37, questioned why he was facing a player who had not played a top-level singles match for two years.
“There were a lot of singles players who had a lot of time, there were substitutes, who could have been told to come in,” Djokovic, seeking his first Olympic title, told reporters.
“So that part I don’t understand and I really hope the ITF (tennis’ governing body) and the Olympics will consider changing that rule because it’s difficult for Matthew.
“He told me it had been over two years since he had played an official singles match and he said it was his last singles match, that he was officially retired. So like I said, it’s not a nice feeling for him to be on court like that.”
The International Tennis Federation has negotiated with the International Olympic Committee to extend the deadline for changes to its entry lists until July 19, later than for most other sports at the Games.
But with top seed Sinner, Andy Murray and Holger Rune all withdrawing from the singles, replacement options were limited to the doubles specialists already in Paris.
Carlos Alcaraz, the Spanish number two seed, who also had to face Lebanese alternate Hady Habib, ranked 275th, in the opening match, also questioned why Ebden was playing in the singles.
“I think it should be different because if the next player decides to be here, if someone withdraws from the tournament, the rules are the rules, we have to follow them,” said the 21-year-old Roland Garros and Wimbledon player.
“But it’s a shame that (Matteo) Berrettini couldn’t play here.”
Former Wimbledon finalist Berrettini of Italy was below the ranking threshold to enter the singles on June 10.
(Report by Sybille de La Hamaide in Paris, edited by Pritha Sarkar)
