Monaco (France), April 17: Serbia's Novak Djokovic earned his first Masters 1,000 win this year after defeating fellow Serbian Dusan Lajovic 6-0, 6-1 in the first round of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.
World No.13 Djokovic needed just 56 minutes to beat his rival and concluded the Monday night's match without giving up a single break point of the four his opponent had, reports EFE news agency.
The 30-year-old Serbian, ninth-seed, competes at the Monte-Carlo Masters for the 12th time, after claiming the title in 2013 and 2015.
Djokovic, who reunited with coach Marian Vajda, is set to play the next round against Indian Wells semi-finalist Borna Coric of Croatia, who defeated Frenchman Julien Benneteau 6-2, 6-3 on Monday.
If Djokovic, a former world No.1, wins his upcoming matches, he may face current world No.1 Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals.
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New Delhi: IRS officer Sameer Wankhede has submitted his reply to the Delhi High Court in the defamation case he filed against Red Chillies Entertainment, the production company owned by actor Shah Rukh Khan. The case pertains to the recently released series The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, which Wankhede claims has defamed him.
In his statement to the court, Wankhede asserted that the show’s portrayal of a police officer is clearly based on him and has caused serious harm to his public image. He cited four key reasons supporting his claim.
First, he said the character in question bears physical similarities to him, including facial and body features. Second, he noted that the character’s working style and mannerisms closely resemble his own.
Third, Wankhede highlighted that the officer in the show is depicted making a high-profile arrest involving a major film personality, which he said directly mirrors his own involvement in the Aryan Khan drug case.
Fourth, he pointed out that the character frequently uses the phrase “Satyameva Jayate,” a motto he himself had used during media interactions in the course of that investigation. He argued that using the national motto in such a context cannot be dismissed as creative expression or humour.
Wankhede also referred to an interview in which Aryan Khan allegedly admitted that the show was “inspired by some real events.” This, he said, contradicts Red Chillies Entertainment’s claim that The Ba**ds of Bollywood* is purely fictional.
He further alleged that the tone and intent of the series indicate personal and institutional vendetta, aimed at discrediting and defaming him rather than engaging in artistic storytelling.
Wankhede informed the court that the fallout from the show has affected his family, with his wife and sister receiving abusive and vulgar messages online.
Rejecting Red Chillies’ argument that he is a “thin-skinned” officer, Wankhede said that a public servant cannot be expected to tolerate false and damaging portrayals simply because of his position. He emphasized that his legal action seeks to protect the constitutional rights and dignity of both himself and his family.
