The 12-time Grand Slam champion cheerfully obliged.
”I just have to mention that making a selfie after the match was over, that was the first time that I ever had this kind of experience in my career,” Djokovic said on court after beating Horacio Zeballos of Argentina 6-3, 6-4 Wednesday. ”So, Horacio, well done. Very original.”
Djokovic managed to break the Argentine once in each set while never facing a break point on the other side.
”Credit to Zeballos for playing some fearless tennis,” said Djokovic, the defending champion. ”He was stepping in and trying to go for his shots. He wasn’t backing up to the baseline.”
With the win, the second-seeded Djokovic advanced to the quarterfinals and will next face Radek Stepanek of Czech Republic.
Stepanek defeated wild-card entry Arthur De Greef of Belgium 6-3, 6-2. The 38-year-old Stepanek is the oldest ATP Tour quarterfinalist since 42-year-old Jimmy Connors reached the final eight at the 1995 Halle tournament.
Also, Fernando Verdasco needed six match points, three in the second set tiebreaker, to beat fourth-seeded David Goffin of Belgium 6-1, 7-6 (6).