Matthew Ebden was decisively defeated by Novak Djokovic in the opening round of the Paris Olympics in 2024. After the game, the two sat down at the net and smiled as they spoke to each other. Ebden acknowledged that he had apologized to the Serb for denying him more playing time.
Ebden is an expert in doubles and hasn’t participated in a professional singles event since 2022. The Australian was, however, an alternate in the singles competition because of an Olympic regulation that requires that tennis players who are already registered for the competition shall be chosen as alternates.
The 36-year-old entered the draw after multiple withdrawals from the singles competition. He faced top seed Djokovic, and their 53-minute first-round match at the Court Philippe-Chatrier on July 27 was all that was needed to win.
After the winning point, Djokovic and Ebden greeted each other at the net with wide smiles. Following the game, Ebden stated the following in an interview: “I told Novak at the net that I apologized for not giving him more time on court, and that officially that had been my retirement from singles. I’m experienced enough to know what was coming.”
Djokovic in Paris, ranking, and results in 2024
At the moment ranked no.2, Djokovic has a 24-7 win-loss record in 2024. Novak is playing at the moment in Paris where he ousted Matthew Ebden 6-0 6-1.
Novak Djokovic will face the world no.161 Rafael Nadal in the 2nd
round on Monday at 2:00 pm on Court Philippe Chatrier. Their record is 30-29 for Djokovic.The Serbian was the runner-up in Wimbledon.
Djokovic won 98 titles in his career: 52 on hard courts, 19 on clay courts, 19 on indoor courts and 8 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
Djokovic is scheduled to play next in Montreal (National Bank Open). He will start the tournament from the main draw that will commence on the 5th of August.
Matthew Ebden in 2024
Ranked world no.738, the Australian played his last match on the 27th of July when he lost to world no.2 Novak Djokovic 6-0 6-1 in the 1st round in Paris (draw).
At present, during this year Ebden owns a 0-1 record.
Novak Djokovic and Matthew Ebden played each other only on 1 occasion. Their actual head to head record is 1-0 for Djokovic. When they played, Novak Djokovic won 6-0 6-1 in the 1st round in Paris (Olympics) on the 27th of July 2024.