PARIS — Novak Djokovic said his 6-0, 6-1 rout of unranked Matthew Ebden in just 53 minutes at the Olympics on Saturday was “not a good image” for tennis and demanded a change in the rules governing late call-ups.
Djokovic hardly broke sweat against the 36-year-old Australian, who was drafted into the draw at the last minute following the injury withdrawal of Holger Rune.
Ebden, a doubles specialist, hadn’t played a singles match for two years until he was given a shock call to play.
World No.1 Jannik Sinner also pulled out, with tonsillitis, to be replaced by 275th-ranked Hady Habib. He was promptly defeated in straight sets by Wimbledon and French Open champion Carlos Alcaraz on Saturday.
“I really don’t understand the rules,” said World No.2 Djokovic after his stroll under the roof of Court Philippe Chatrier.
“It’s not logical for me that you have someone withdraws from singles and you call up a doubles player to play singles.
“I don’t think it’s a good image for the sport, to be honest. There are lots of singles players that had plenty of time to get here and could have been called to come.
“So this part I don’t get at all. I hope the ITF [International Tennis Federation] and the Olympics change the rule because it was tough on Matt. He hasn’t played singles in two years.”
Under ITF rules, any singles withdrawals are replaced by the highest-ranked singles player in the doubles draw.
Once there are no players with singles rankings, replacements are highest-ranked doubles players.
The withdrawal of Andy Murray from singles opened a slot for Dutchman Robin Haase, whose single ranking now stands at 1,196.
Djokovic needed just 24 minutes to wrap up the first set against Ebden and was 4-0 up in the second before his opponent won a game.
The Australian, playing to a sympathetic crowd, celebrated by pulling his shirt over his head.
But that was as good as it got for the Australian Open doubles champion, who was broken six times in all and hit just seven winners to the 24 of Djokovic.
Alcaraz needed just 70 minutes to see off Texas-born Habib 6-3, 6-1 over on Court Suzanne Lenglen.
“The rules are difficult,” said Alcaraz. “There are a lot of players who deserve to be here and get the chance to play in the Olympics.
“I think it should be different because the next singles player deserves to be here, but the rules are the rules.”
Ebden said Saturday’s defeat was his last singles match.
“I had never played Novak but some miracle happened and I got the chance to play him on Chatrier. It was the perfect way to retire my singles officially,” he said.
“The only goal I had was not to get injured. I was never going to win. I got one game at least and I said to Novak I was sorry I couldn’t give him more of a hit.”
Ebden even threw in an underarm serve in an attempt to put Djokovic off his stride.
“I thought I may as well try something. I’m not going to win the point any other way.
“I could tell my son that in my last ever singles match I served underarm to Novak Djokovic.”
