Novak Djokovic sweeps past John Isner in ATP Finals opener

Runaway favourite Novak Djokovic began his bid for ATP Finals glory in ferocious fashion as he swept aside John Isner 6-4, 6-3.

In front of a watching Cristiano Ronaldo, Djokovic put in a performance as dominant as any the Juventus striker has managed, tearing through an energetic but outmatched Isner in an hour and 13 minutes.

Since he last arrived in London this summer world No.1 Djokovic has posted a formidable 31-2 record, winning the Wimbledon and US Open crowns and completing tennis’ first Golden Masters by winning all nine ATP 1000 titles. On this form few would predict anything other than a win tally of 36 come the end of the year.

From the outset Djokovic was hitting heights his opponent simply couldn’t scale, rattling through his first service game with a barrage more fearsome even than Isner’s.

The 6ft 10in American may have had the heavy artillery but he did not always show the guile of Djokovic, who was able to win easy points off his unerring serve even when it clocked in at a mere 85mph.

Isner, who would have missed out on a first Finals appearance but for Rafael Nadal’s ankle surgery, was determined to play “loose and free” on his O2 debut but you sensed all Djokovic needed to do was get into a rally off the American’s serve to claim the point.

The inevitable break came in the fifth game of the first set. Isner’s second double fault handed Djokovic a chance which he snared, firing a 130mph serve across the court with venom.

Three consecutive aces from set point down meant Isner forced Djokovic to serve out the set, which of course he did, and rather typified the tumultuous task the American faced.

The 33-year-old has served exceptionally in the first set, with 10 aces and 64 per cent of first serves going in play. His ground strokes looked solid enough. And yet there was no facet of his game in which he was not outgunned by the world No.1, nothing he could turn to to swing the match.

Isner went down swinging in the second as a crowd eager not to be on their way home within the hour cheered his every winner to the rafters.

His resistance lasted until the seventh game when a forehand in mid-court crashed into the net. It was then only a matter of time before Djokovic swept to victory, a delicate backhand pass ending the match in a style that sounded a real warning to the remainder of the field. It will take something special to beat him this week.