Thursday, 31 January 2019
Zverev, Shapovalov Lead Countries In Davis Cup Qualifying
Twelve spots at the 2019 Davis Cup Finals, to be held 18-24 November in Madrid, will be up for grabs this weekend during the inaugural Davis Cup qualifying rounds. ATPTour.com previews the action.
BRAZIL vs. BELGIUM
Venue: Sabiazinho - Ginasio Presidente Tancredo Neves, Uberlândia, Brazil
Surface: Clay, Indoors
Belgium leads the series 3-0, including a win during the 2016 World Group play-offs, but left-hander Thiago Monteiro, No. 107 in the ATP Rankings, will lead the home country in search of its first win against the European nation.
UZBEKISTAN vs. SERBIA
Venue: Saxovat Sport Servis Sport Complex, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Surface: Hard, Indoors
Serbia, behind Dusan Lajovic and Filip Krajinovic, will look to improve to 2-0 against Uzbekistan, who will be led by 32-year-old Denis Istomin, No. 105.
AUSTRALIA vs. BOSNIA/HERZEGOVINA
Venue: Memorial Drive Tennis Club, Adelaide, Australia
Surface: Hard, Outdoors
Australians will enjoy one more weekend of home summer tennis as the green and gold take on Damir Dzumhur and the squad from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sydney International titlist Alex de Minaur and 2018 US Open quarter-finalist John Millman will lead the home squad, along with John Peers, who fell in the Australian Open doubles final (with Henri Kontinen; l. to Herbert/Mahut).
Read More: Herbert/Mahut Complete Career Grand Slam In Doubles
INDIA vs. ITALY
Venue: Calcutta South Club, Kolkata, India
Surface: Grass, Outdoors
India, led by Prajnesh Gunneswaran (No. 102) and Ramkumar Ramanathan (No. 133), will put its four-tie grass-court winning streak on the line against the visiting Italians, led by veteran Andreas Seppi and Gstaad titlist Matteo Berrettini. Ramanathan reached the Hall of Fame Open final on grass last July in Newport (l. to Johnson).
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GERMANY vs. HUNGARY
Venue: Fraport Arena, Frankfurt, Germany
Surface: Hard, Indoors
A strong German squad, led by No. 3 Alexander Zverev and veteran Philipp Kohlschreiber, will lead Germany as it looks to book a place in the Davis Cup Finals. Hungary, without No. 47 Marton Fucsovics, is expected to have Zsombor Piros (No. 368) and Peter Nagy (No. 819) play singles.
SWITZERLAND vs. RUSSIA
Venue: Swiss Tennis Arena, Biel, Switzerland
Surface: Hard, Indoors
Visiting Russia carries all of its young talent to Biel, as Rolex Paris Masters champion Karen Khachanov, three-time ATP Tour titlist Daniil Medvedev and two-time Next Gen ATP Finals qualifier Andrey Rublev are making the trip. Henri Laaksonen (No. 142) and Marc-Andrea Huesler (No. 337) will lead Switzerland and attempt to stave off the Russians.
KAZAKHSTAN vs. PORTUGAL
Venue: National Tennis Center, Astana, Kazakhstan
Surface: Hard, Indoors
Joao Sousa will go for personal Davis Cup history when he leads Portugal against Kazakhstan. With two singles wins this weekend, Sousa (23-12) will match Joao Cunha-Silva’s record (25-28) for most Davis Cup singles match wins by a Portuguese player.
CZECH REPUBLIC vs. NETHERLANDS
Ostravar Arena, Ostrava, Czech Republic
Surface: Hard, Indoors
Czech Republic, 2012-13 Davis Cup champions, will play in its 211th tie this weekend as Jiri Vesely and Lukas Rosol lead the home nation against Netherlands, which boasts a roster of Robin Haase (No. 54) and Jean-Julien Rojer (No. 18 in ATP Doubles Rankings).
COLOMBIA vs. SWEDEN
Venue: Palacio de los Deportes, Bogota, Colombia
Surface: Clay - Red Clay, Indoor
Nitto ATP Finals doubles semi-finalists Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah will try to win their 10th Davis Cup doubles match together against Sweden, which will be led by the Ymer brothers – Elias Ymer and Mikael Ymer.
Watch Flashback: Elias Ymer Visits Home Ethiopia
AUSTRIA vs. CHILE
Venue: Salzburg Arena/Messezentrum Salzburg, Austria
Surface: Clay, Indoors
Austrian Jurgen Melzer, who retired from singles at last year's Erste Bank Open 500, is expected to play doubles with former doubles No. 2 Oliver Marach. Brasil Open finalist Nicolas Jarry will lead visiting Chile.
SLOVAKIA vs. CANADA
Venue: NTC Arena, Bratislava, Slovakia
Surface: Clay, Indoors
Canada's #NextGenATP leaders – Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime – will try to secure their country's 67th win in Davis Cup ties. Auger-Aliassime, 18, will be playing in his first tie. Martin Klizan (No. 37) and Filip Horansky (No. 199) will lead Slovakia.
CHINA vs. JAPAN
Venue: Guangdong Olympic Sports Center Tennis Center, Guangzhou, China
Surface: Hard, Outdoors
Visiting Japan, led by Yoshihito Nishioka (No. 66) and Taro Daniel (No. 69), leads their series 8-1, including the past five. But Ze Zhang (No. 208) and Zhe Li (No. 225) will try to snap the losing skid.
from Tennis - ATP World Tour http://bit.ly/2RqK3BK
Stan's Care Bear Lifts Andy's Spirits
Andy Murray has a new fluffy friend to comfort him at the hospital, and it's just about as big as the 6'3” Scot. Murray received a “get well soon” teddy bear from Stan Wawrinka and his girlfriend, WTA player Donna Vekic.
“Big thanks to @stanwawrinka85 and @donnavekic for the get well soon teddy bear,” Murray wrote on Instagram on Thursday. “It's absolutely huge. My kids will be fighting over this when I get home! #stantheman”.
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Murray underwent hip resurfacing surgery on his right hip on Monday in London. The former World No. 1 now has a metal hip and posted an X-ray photo of it to his Instagram account.
The 31-year-old initially underwent right hip surgery in January 2018 and returned to competitive tennis six months later, playing a total of 15 tour-level matches. Murray fell in the first round of the Australian Open to eventual quarter-finalist Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain.
from Tennis - ATP World Tour http://bit.ly/2RXVsOy
Why Dzumhur Is Polite When Asking Federer, Djokovic For A Photo
Damir Dzumhur has had two of the best seasons of his career, winning three ATP titles in the past two years. Now if he could only remember where he put his keys.
Dzumhur, who's representing Bosnia and Herzegovina in Davis Cup action against Australia this weekend, talked with ATPTour.com about "The Last Time" he lost those keys, the vital lesson his father taught him and why he still feels like he has to politely ask Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic for a photo after a practice session.
The last time... I lost something important?
My home keys I lost a few months ago, but it's not the first time that I've lost them. I'm not really good with keys... I had four pairs of home keys at home. I always make enough so in case I lose a pair, I have one.
I paid money to rent a tennis court or buy tennis balls?
In March, in Los Angeles, between Indian Wells and Miami... I had to pay for a tennis court. Balls, I had with me from Indian Wells... I played at a club where my coach used to play sometimes, and he knows people at that club but we still had to pay... I definitely need better connections. I think we had two hours of court time, about $15 an hour.
Watch: Born Into War, Dzumhur's Inspirational Journey To ATP Titlist
I strung a tennis racquet?
When I was a kid [ages 14-20], I was stringing my racquets. Of course, [with the support of my] father or even brother, because he learned to string racquets when he was very young and would sometimes help me. But I was the one taking care of it.
My father wanted me to know what are my responsibilities, that I'm not going to get everything served on a plate, so I had to work for something. That's why today I don't have problems with doing those kinds of things, with expecting everything to just come to me; I have to get it.
I like that my father was always trying to teach me, to get the things, to not wait for them... He wanted me to know that it's one of my responsibilities. He's working all day on the courts as well, he doesn't have time to do it.
I cooked for myself and others?
Last time I did maybe two months ago when I was home... I cooked some beef. Beef is really easy to make, you just put one side, the other side, some oil, some salt, and if the meat is very good in five or six minutes, you're OK. I like beef medium so I don't have to cook it a long time and it goes very easy. With some beef I would get some corn with it. That's easy.
I met a childhood idol?
Roger Federer, I met him four years ago for the first time... We played three years ago at Roland Garros and Wimbledon but I met him the year before, in Australia.
Meeting him [off the court] is a big thing, but I would say the real meeting was on the court. After the first match between the two of us, I had a chance to practise with him, to talk more with him, and I'm really happy to say that today when I see Roger he always comes and says, "Hi". In your head, it's a big thing when you know somebody who has won 20 Grand Slams, who's one of the best players ever, and he comes and talks to you.
I think this is something special that can happen in your life, especially if that is a guy who you were cheering for and watching on TV when you were 11, 12 years old, winning Grand Slam tournaments. That is really something special.
Read more in the 'Last Time' series: Federer | Kyrgios | Tsitsipas
I asked someone famous for an autograph or selfie?
When I finished a practice with Roger, I asked for a picture. Of course I do it not just with him, but with other players as well. But I would say, with him, it's a question, with other guys it's, 'Let's make a photo.' With him, it's like, 'Hey Roger, can we make a photo, please?'
Or with Novak Djokovic as well, with Novak, in Queens, in July, we were practising together and I just asked him... Those big guys who you have a lot of respect for, you just feel like you have to ask.
from Tennis - ATP World Tour http://bit.ly/2WwKrSZ
Roger Federer coach makes Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic admission with retirement claim
SEVERIN LUTHI claims Roger Federer is not obsessed with keeping his Grand Slam record above Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic’s tally.
from Daily Express :: Tennis Feed http://bit.ly/2Sm6Sea
Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic claim made by legend Rod Laver
NOVAK DJOKOVIC has been tipped to eclipse Roger Federer’s all-time Grand Slam record by Rod Laver.
from Daily Express :: Tennis Feed http://bit.ly/2MHS8kN
Wednesday, 30 January 2019
Roger Federer BANS wife Mirka from speaking to media for this reason
ROGER FEDERER has apparently banned his wife, Mirka, from speaking to the press.
from Daily Express :: Tennis Feed http://bit.ly/2Ut86BO
Bringing The Heat On The Hardwood In Cleveland
You know them for their firepower on the tennis court. But on Tuesday, four ATP Challenger Tour stars showed off their cannon arms on the basketball hardwood.
Americans Ulises Blanch, Marcos Giron, Stefan Kozlov and Noah Rubin paid a visit to the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers, while competing at the ATP Challenger Tour event in the city. Not only did they sit courtside watching the Cavs battle the Washington Wizards, but they provided some of the entertainment as well.
During a timeout, the quartet was tasked with tossing t-shirts and tournament tickets for Sunday's final into the crowd. From firing serves on the tennis court to launching prizes into the upper deck at the Qucken Loans Arena, it was a memorable experience.
"It was really special to do that here in Cleveland," said Giron. "It was out of the blue and I'm really grateful to be able to do that. It's not something you get to do often, being on the court of an NBA stadium. I've been on the field at the Rose Bowl at UCLA, but this felt very intimate to be able to interact with the fans."
These @ATPChallenger fellas have cannons for arms 👀 pic.twitter.com/okAAOC9ZB5
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) January 30, 2019
"It was fun," Rubin added. "First time I've ever done something like that. It was pretty cool. I was always the kid not getting a t-shirt at a game, so now I got to be the one throwing it."
"It was a great experience being out there and having grown up as a big basketball fan, it was amazing," said Kozlov. "I would say it's once in a lifetime running out there and throwing t-shirts. Cleveland fans are great and I was surprised how nice their stadium is."
The Cleveland Open presented by Cleveland Clinic is celebrating its debut on the ATP Challenger Tour this week. After a long hiatus, professional tennis is back in the bustling city. It has been 34 years since the ATP Tour last held a tournament there.
While the state of Ohio has enjoyed plenty of world-class tennis over the years, with Cincinnati hosting a prestigious ATP Masters 1000 event (Western & Southern Open) and the campus of Ohio State University welcoming the Columbus Challenger since 2015, the city of Cleveland is back on the scene for the first time in more than three decades.
"The tournament is pretty good," said Rubin. "Besides the absolutely frigid temperatures that we're dealing with, it's really nice. The country club is great and everyone has been pretty accomodating. It's just about staying warm this week."
As the midwest United States is plunged into a deep freeze thanks to a polar vortex descending from the arctic, players are benefitting from perfect conditions at the indoor Cleveland Racquet Club.
While Kozlov fell on Wednesday, Blanch, Giron and Rubin all punched their tickets to the third round. Blanch will face Rubin in a blockbuster clash, while Giron, who claimed his maiden Challenger crown to kick off the season in Orlando, battles Jeffrey John Wolf.
from Tennis - ATP World Tour http://bit.ly/2SfpSuR
Video : Hot Shots: Broady, Smyczek On The Run In Cleveland
Watch as Liam Broady and Tim Smyczek turn defence into offence in a flash at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Cleveland.
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Hot Shots: Broady, Smyczek On The Run In Cleveland
from Tennis - ATP World Tour http://bit.ly/2UtBo3b
Video : Stefanos Tsitsipas | From Next Gen ATP to Making His Mark On The ATP Tour
From Next Gen ATP champion to an incredible run at the 2019 Australian Open 💪 Here's the story of Stefanos Tsitsipas' Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: http://bit.ly/2dj6EhW Visit the official site of men’s professional tennis: http://bit.ly/2F4nKiO FOLLOW THE ATP TOUR Watch live and on demand: http://bit.ly/1sltqpW Check live scores: http://bit.ly/2BE9Yjh View the latest rankings: http://bit.ly/2QKoVLe Meet the players: http://bit.ly/2Bz6qyU Follow the tournaments: http://bit.ly/2QIagAh Catch up on tennis news: http://bit.ly/2ByRmRY JOIN THE CONVERSATION Like us on Facebook: http://bit.ly/2F6KsY6 Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ATP_Tour Follow us on Instagram: http://bit.ly/2FaMhCX Follow us on Google+: http://bit.ly/2F5k8xB
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Novak Djokovic names Roger Federer and two other stars who can stop Rafael Nadal on clay
NOVAK DJOKOVIC has named Roger Federer as one of four players who can stop Rafael Nadal’s clay dominance.
from Daily Express :: Tennis Feed http://bit.ly/2BaW2Oi
Roger Federer’s preparations for French Open return revealed by coach Severin Luthi
ROGER FEDERER will play in the French Open and another clay-court competition, according to coach Severin Luthi.
from Daily Express :: Tennis Feed http://bit.ly/2TkO3oZ
Roger Federer: Mats Wilander makes bold Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic call - EXCLUSIVE
ROGER FEDERER needs a number of conditions to go in his favour if he is to beat Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic to a Grand Slam title this year - but Mats Wilander reckons it is well within his grasp.
from Daily Express :: Tennis Feed http://bit.ly/2MK5yNe
Tuesday, 29 January 2019
Video : Uncovered: Behind The Scenes At The Australian Open 2019
ATP Uncovered presented by Peugeot behind the scenes with Frances Tiafoe, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Daniil Medvedev at the 2019 Australian Open, and also get expert analysis of the four players who reached the semi-finals in Melbourne.
View on YouTube
ATP Rankings Update 28 January 2019
from Tennis - ATP World Tour http://bit.ly/2FTAIRL
Uncovered: Behind The Scenes At The Australian Open 2019
from Tennis - ATP World Tour http://bit.ly/2Tn2YiK
Murray Undergoes Hip Surgery In London
Andy Murray has confirmed that he underwent right hip surgery in London on Monday.
The former World No. 1 posted a message on his Instagram account, including an X-ray photo, stating, “I underwent a hip resurfacing surgery in London yesterday morning...feeling a bit battered and bruised just now but hopefully that will be the end of my hip pain. I now have a metal hip.”
The operation comes two weeks on from a first-round loss to Roberto Bautista Agut in the Australian Open first round. The 31-year-old initially underwent right hip surgery in January 2018 and returned to competitive tennis six months later, playing a total of 15 tour-level matches.
American Bob Bryan returned to the ATP Tour a few weeks ago following the same procedure last summer. He partnered his twin, Mike Bryan, to the Australian Open doubles quarter-finals.
from Tennis - ATP World Tour http://bit.ly/2HCTBKm
Andy Murray keeps Wimbledon hopes alive after undergoing hip surgery
ANDY MURRAY has kept his hopes of playing at Wimbledon this summer alive after undergoing hip surgery.
from Daily Express :: Tennis Feed http://bit.ly/2UplnLA
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal should have major Novak Djokovic worry - Toni Nadal
ROGER FEDERER and Rafael Nadal should be worried that there is no answer to Novak Djokovic’s form, according to Toni Nadal.
from Daily Express :: Tennis Feed http://bit.ly/2DGdcVG
Tsitsipas Soars To Career-High, Mover Of The Week
RISERS
No. 12 (Career High) Stefanos Tsitsipas, +3
After last year’s Australian Open, Tsitsipas was No. 83 in the ATP Rankings, holding just six tour-level wins. But in the past fortnight, the reigning Next Gen ATP Finals champion came within one victory of cracking the Top 10 for the first time. The 20-year-old Tsitsipas advanced to his first Grand Slam championship semi-final, upsetting six-time titlist Roger Federer along the way. If last year’s Stockholm winner would have found a way to beat Rafael Nadal in the last four, he would have jumped two more spots in the Rankings.
No. 17 Lucas Pouille, +14
The Frenchman had never won an Australian Open match prior to arriving to the season’s first Grand Slam, and he was also carrying a four-match losing streak overall. It’s safe to say expectations were not as high as they’ve been for Pouille. But no matter. Like Tsitsipas, Pouille battled to his first major semi-final, returning to the Top 20. Even though he lost to eventual champion Novak Djokovic, Pouille found his form at the perfect time. Last February, the Frenchman triumphed in Montpellier and reached the final in Marseille and Dubai, giving him 700 ATP Ranking points to defend during that stretch.
No. 18 Roberto Bautista Agut, +6
The Spaniard got his season off to the perfect start, lifting the trophy in Doha. And Bautista Agut did not stop there, beating former World No. 1 Andy Murray, in-form Russian Karen Khachanov and 2018 runner-up Marin Cilic en route to his maiden Grand Slam quarter-final. Bautista Agut had previously played in the main draw at 24 majors, making the fourth round nine times. But the 30-year-old finally broke through in Melbourne this year, forcing Tsitsipas into a fourth set before bowing out in the quarter-finals. While the season is young, Bautista Agut is tied for the second-most wins on the ATP Tour thus far at 9-1.
No. 30 (Career High) Frances Tiafoe, +9
This time last year, Tiafoe had never reached a tour-level quarter-final. But not only has the American done so four times since, also winning his maiden ATP Tour title at Delray Beach, he made the last eight in Melbourne. Tiafoe sprung upsets against fifth seed Kevin Anderson and 2017 Nitto ATP Finals champion Grigor Dimitrov to earn 360 ATP Ranking points, the most he has gained in a single event in his career. The #NextGenATP star is not only at a career-high No. 30, but he is now also the second-ranked American man.
No. 40 (Career High) Taylor Fritz, +10
The other American to qualify for the 2018 Next Gen ATP Finals, Fritz, also enjoyed a strong fortnight at the Australian Open. Fritz lost in the first round at Melbourne Park in 2016-17, but he did not let that happen again this year. The 21-year-old avenged an Auckland defeat against Cameron Norrie, and then ousted former Top 10 player Gael Monfils in the second round. Six-time champion Roger Federer proved too much of a challenge for Fritz, but he gained invaluable experience in his third-round loss against the Swiss that will surely help moving forward. The American then traveled to Newport Beach, California, where he retained his ATP Challenger Tour crown (his fifth overall). Fritz ascends to a career-high No. 40 in the ATP Rankings, making him the fourth-ranked American man.
No. 44 (Career High) Pierre-Hugues Herbert, +11
It was a strong week in Melbourne in more ways than one for the Frenchman. Herbert cracked the Top 50 in the ATP Rankings for one week last October, but he is now up to a career-high No. 44. The 27-year-old defeated former World No. 11 Sam Querrey and 2018 Australian Open semi-finalist Hyeon Chung to reach the third round in singles at the event for the second time. But that's not all. Herbert and Nicolas Mahut completed their Career Grand Slam in doubles, battling to the title. The four-time Nitto ATP Finals qualifiers have now lifted the trophy at all four Grand Slams.
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FALLERS
No. 6 Roger Federer, -3
The Swiss superstar, who was a two-time defending champion at Melbourne Park, suffered a fourth-round loss to Tsistsipas and with the 2,000 points he was defending, dropped three places to No. 6. It is his lowest position since being No. 6 on 20 March 2017.
No. 29 Kyle Edmund, -15
The 24-year-old, who became the sixth British man in the Open Era to reach the Australian Open semi-finals last year (l. to Cilic), came into the first Grand Slam championship of 2019 with a left knee concern and lost to the experienced Tomas Berdych in the first round.
No. 50 Hyeon Chung, -25
The South Koren, who lifted the inaugural Next Gen ATP Finals trophy in 2017, had his ATP Ranking cut in half, dropping out of the Top 30 for the first time in 12 months as a result of falling to Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the Australian Open second round.
No. 67 Nick Kyrgios, -15
The former World No. 14, who picked up his fourth ATP Tour trophy at the Brisbane International (d. Harrison) and reached the Australian Open fourth round (l. to Dimitrov) in January 2018, went 1-2 in January 2019, culminating in a Melbourne first-round exit to Milos Raonic in straight sets. In dropping 15 places to No. 67 in the ATP Rankings, it's his lowest position since 4 August 2014 (No. 80).
No. 75 Tennys Sandgren, -34
Twelve months ago, the American came into the Australian Open at No. 97 in the ATP Rankings, and left as a quarter-finalist - having beaten Top 10 stars Stan Wawrinka and Dominic Thiem - at a career-high No. 55. Sandgren won his first ATP Tour title at the ASB Classic in Auckland (d. Norrie) two weeks ago, moving to a career-high No. 41, but a first-round exit in Melbourne to Yoshito Nishioka saw him drop back to No. 75.
No. 79 Tomas Berdych, -22
The former World No. 4, who missed the last five months of the 2018 season with a back injury, began 2019 by advancing to the Qatar ExxonMobil Open final (l. to Bautista Agut) and then fell in the Australian Open fourth round (l. to Nadal). But having reached the 2018 quarter-finals (l. to Federer), the Czech dropped 22 places to No. 79 in the ATP Rankings, his lowest position since 16 August 2004 (No. 79).
Other Notable Top 100 Movers This Week
No. 14 Milos Raonic, +3
No. 16 (Career High) Daniil Medvedev, +3
No. 47 Marton Fucsovics, -9
No. 61 (Career High) Jordan Thompson +11
No. 72 Filip Krajinovic, +21
No. 85 Thomas Fabbiano, +17
No. 93 Ryan Harrison, -10
No. 94 Vasek Pospisil, -20
No. 100 Andrey Rublev, -13
from Tennis - ATP World Tour http://bit.ly/2G7Oob2
Monday, 28 January 2019
Rafael Nadal praised by Man Utd star after Australian Open final loss
RAFAEL NADAL has been praised by Manchester United footballer Juan Mata for his performance in the Australian Open final.
from Daily Express :: Tennis Feed http://bit.ly/2Tllesv
Need Life Advice? Ask Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic woke up on Monday in Melbourne as a seven-time Australian Open champion. On Sunday, he lifted his 15th major trophy, passing his idol, Pete Sampras, for the third-most Grand Slam titles all-time.
Djokovic visited the Royal Botanical Gardens to celebrate his victory, and the Serbian had an interesting message for a young reporter who asked the World No. 1 for life advice.
“Most importantly, you should love what you do and always remind yourself that whatever you choose to do in life, in this case tennis, you go back to that pure emotion of why you started playing it and in the most difficult times, that’s where you draw your strength,” Djokovic said. “ Make sure you keep the smile on your face. And if you want to achieve yourself professionally, of course there is a long road ahead, lots of challenging moments in life. But most important is to believe in yourself and remind yourself of that love and passion for the game.”
Djokovic began playing tennis at four years old in southern Serbia. While he has two younger brothers — Djordje Djokovic and Marko Djokovic — who have earned ATP Rankings, the 31-year-old did not have tennis handed down to him through his family.
"Most importantly you should love what you do."@ANZ_AU #TennisHotShots player Chloe Hodgeman gets some advice from our 7-time champion @DjokerNole. #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/ZXRGyLajCb
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2019
“I fell in love with it and it was kind of like a sign of destiny for me to take the racquet,” Djokovic said. “I didn’t inherit any tradition… nobody had played tennis before in my family. I fell in love with the sport very early and I’ve dedicated myself fully to it. I just felt like that’s exactly what I wanted to do in life.”
Many of Djokovic’s relatives were professional skiers, and his father even played some football. So while the World No. 1 is quite happy where he is, he would have chosen to stay in sports if tennis was not an option when he was young.
“I would probably be skiing right now somewhere,” Djokovic said, cracking a laugh. “But I think in life everything happens for a reason, and tennis was meant to be for me.”
from Tennis - ATP World Tour http://bit.ly/2Ti3b6I
A Semi-final & A Souvlaki For Tsitsipas
Stefanos Tsitsipas made his mark at the Australian Open in more ways than one. Sure, the #NextGenATP Greek became the first player from his country to reach the semi-finals of a Grand Slam. But he also leaves with 360 ATP Ranking points, $920,000 and… a self-named Souvlaki!
Stalactites, a Greek restaurant in Melbourne, decided to create a new Souvlaki in the 20-year-old’s name. The new item is a lamb souva with hot chips, tomato, tzatziki sauce, pomegranate, crumbled feta cheese, fresh mint, basil and chili. The restaurant made the decision when Tsitsipas advanced to the last four, setting a match-up against second seed Rafael Nadal.
“We’re happy to do it now because he’s done so well. We’re so proud of him. He’s done an amazing job and getting to the semi-finals is such a big achievement,” owner Nicole Papasavas told the BBC.
This is just the second time Stalactites has named a souvlaki after a tennis player. Marcos Baghdatis, a Cypriot, also earned one during his run to the 2006 Australian Open final. Tsitsipas has long shown pride in representing Greece, writing a first-person essay for ATPTour.com about it last year.
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“Young Greek-Australians are going crazy. They’re so happy with everything that’s happening. It’s someone we can get behind. It gives us a really good connection back to our families,” Papasavas said. “Stefanos is just a great role model for young Greek-Australians and aspiring athletes, so it’s quite exciting at the moment.”
🇬🇷🌯 @StalactitesRest pic.twitter.com/nyvqECFCMp
— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@StefTsitsipas) January 25, 2019
from Tennis - ATP World Tour http://bit.ly/2BaUO5R
Djokovic Closing In On Federer's Big Titles Lead
On Sunday, Novak Djokovic climbed to the top of the Australian Open titles list with his seventh Melbourne crown. And if the Serbian continues his record-setting pace, by April, he could surpass his rivals on another leaderboard.
Djokovic won his 52nd “Big Title” – a combination of Grand Slam, Nitto ATP Finals and ATP Masters 1000 crowns – at Melbourne Park, outplaying Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 for his 15th Grand Slam crown.
The 31-year-old Djokovic now sits only one Big Title away from tying Roger Federer with 53. Federer, who fell in the fourth round in Australia to Greece's #NextGenATP star Stefanos Tsitsipas, is the all-time leader in Grand Slams won with 20.
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But Djokovic's Big Title strike rate is already better than anyone's, including Federer's. The Serbian has won 52 Big Titles from 173 events, giving him a conversion rate of 3.3. Federer has won a Big Title every 4.2 chances (53/223), while Nadal, the all-time ATP Masters 1000 titles leader, narrowly trails Djokovic with a strike rate of 3.5 (50/174).
“I am aware that making history of the sport that I truly love is something special. Of course, it motivates me. Playing Grand Slams, biggest ATP events, is my utmost priority in this season and in seasons to come,” Djokovic said.
“I do want to definitely focus myself on continuing to improve my game and maintaining the overall well-being that I have – mental, physical, emotional – so I would be able to compete at such a high level for the years to come.”
Djokovic's next opportunity to add more Big Titles will come in March at the BNP Paribas Open, the season's first Masters 1000 tournament. He is a five-time champion at the event, and if he wins title No. 6, Djokovic will match Federer atop the Big Titles leaderboard.
Federer, however, has his own record of success in Indian Wells, having also won five titles. Following Indian Wells will be the season's second Masters 1000 event, the Miami Open presented by Itau.
Current and Former Champions' Big Titles Won (Records Since 1990)
| Player | Grand Slams | Nitto ATP Finals | 1000s | Total (Avg) |
| Roger Federer | 20/75 | 6/16 | 27/132 | 53/223 (4.2) |
| Novak Djokovic | 15/56 | 5/11 | 32/106 | 52/173 (3.3) |
| Rafael Nadal | 17/54 | 0/8 | 33/112 | 50/174 (3.5) |
| Pete Sampras | 14/52 | 5/11 | 11/83 | 30/146 (4.9) |
| Andre Agassi | 8/61 | 1/13 | 17/90 | 26/164 (6.3) |
| Andy Murray | 3/47 | 1/8 | 14/96 | 18/151 (8.3) |
| Boris Becker* | 2/26 | 2/6 | 5/51 | 9/83 (9.2) |
| Thomas Muster | 1/29 | 0/4 | 8/53 | 9/86 (9.6) |
| Gustavo Kuerten | 3/33 | 1/3 | 5/67 | 9/103 (11.4) |
| Jim Courier | 4/38 | 0/4 | 5/71 | 9/113 (12.6) |
| Stefan Edberg** | 3/28 | 0/4 | 1/24 | 4/56 (14) |
| Marcelo Rios | 0/26 | 0/1 | 5/56 | 5/83 (16.6) |
| Michael Chang | 1/50 | 0/6 | 7/86 | 8/142 (17.8) |
| Marat Safin | 2/41 | 0/3 | 5/87 | 7/131 (18.7) |
| Andy Roddick | 1/46 | 0/6 | 5/75 | 6/127 (21.2) |
* Becker's four other Grand Slam titles came before 1990.
** Edberg's three other Grand Slam titles came before 1990.
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Video : Get Your Nitto ATP Finals 2019 Tickets
Experience the electric atmosphere of the Nitto ATP Finals, to be held from 10-17 November 2019 at The O2 in London. Get your tickets now, visit NittoATPFinals.com.
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Video : Novak Djokovic | The Australian Open Record Breaker
He stands alone. This is the story of Novak Djokovic - the Australian Open record breaker. Djokovic now stands alone in the record books with seven Australian Open victories, breaking a tie with Roger Federer and Roy Emerson. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: http://bit.ly/2dj6EhW Visit the official site of men’s professional tennis: http://bit.ly/2F4nKiO FOLLOW THE ATP TOUR Watch live and on demand: http://bit.ly/1sltqpW Check live scores: http://bit.ly/2BE9Yjh View the latest rankings: http://bit.ly/2QKoVLe Meet the players: http://bit.ly/2Bz6qyU Follow the tournaments: http://bit.ly/2QIagAh Catch up on tennis news: http://bit.ly/2ByRmRY JOIN THE CONVERSATION Like us on Facebook: http://bit.ly/2F6KsY6 Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ATP_Tour Follow us on Instagram: http://bit.ly/2FaMhCX Follow us on Google+: http://bit.ly/2F5k8xB
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Love It All: Damir Dzumhur
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Video : From 2008 To 2019: Novak's Road To No. 7
Watch Novak Djokovic's 11-year journey to a record-breaking seventh Australian Open title.
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Love It All: Cameron Norrie
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Love It All: Bernard Tomic
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Love It All: Andy Murray
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Love It All: Albert Ramos-Vinolas
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From 2008 To 2019: Novak's Road To No. 7
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Love It All – Adrian Mannarino
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Sunday, 27 January 2019
Home Cooking: Fritz Flies To Newport Beach Title Defense
From Milan to Melbourne and Newport Beach, it has all come full circle for Taylor Fritz.
Exactly one year ago, the 21-year-old American scored his biggest title yet, lifting the trophy at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Newport Beach, California, en route to qualifying for the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan. One year later, Fritz found success once again in Southern California, notching the first successful title defense of his young career.
Located less than an hour from his hometown of Rancho Santa Fe, Fritz feels right at home at the Oracle Challenger Series Newport Beach. He streaked to the title on Sunday, downing Brayden Schnur 7-6(7), 6-4 in one hour and 25 minutes. The American was battle tested throughout the week, clawing from a set down on two occasions, before saving a set point against Schnur en route to the title.
Last year, Fritz left Newport Beach at No. 76 in the ATP Rankings. Now, he has risen to a career-high No. 40 with his latest victory in the California town. The victory was Fritz's fifth Challenger crown in total.
The 21-year-old has kicked off his 2019 campaign in strong fashion, having also reached the quarter-finals at the ATP Tour stop in Auckland and third round at the Australian Open. Fritz upset Gael Monfils in four tight sets in Melbourne, before falling to Roger Federer.
🏆Newport Beach🏆 Cutest trophy pic in history with my little man😍 pic.twitter.com/b6K9n7YbS3
— Taylor Fritz (@Taylor_Fritz97) January 28, 2019
The American spoke about his victory in Newport Beach...
Congrats Taylor. How does it feel to successfully defend a title for the first time?
It feels good, because there's a lot of pressure that comes with it. To deal with the pressure and come out on top makes it that much sweeter. I just didn't think about it to be honest. I knew that if I competed hard and played my game, I wouldn't have to do anything special.
What was the key today against Brayden?
My serve. My serve got me through a lot of tough situations and it closed out the match for me. I knew it was going to be a close match, because he doesn't have much to lose playing me. I expected him to come out swinging. I just tried to neutralise his serve as much as possible with deep returns. I told myself that it doesn't really matter how well he serves, as long as I don't get broken. In the second set, I was able to steal a break and hold my serve through the rest of the match.
You had a long trip from Australia and went right to work here. How did you manage the different conditions?
I needed to play my way into the tournament. Coming off a flight from Australia and straight to playing matches was tough. I've been playing with different balls on a different court speed for the past two months, so it was just a lot to get used to.
I flew out of Australia on Sunday at 1pm and landed here on Sunday at 9am. I didn't sleep at all on the plane and drove straight to Disneyland because it was my son's birthday. I was there all day and was dead after. I slept until 1pm on Monday and then I drove here that night. But I only had about 30 minutes of practice before my first match. The wind on Tuesday really messed up my plans before my first match on Wednesday. But I was able to find my way as the week went on.
Being from Southern California, did you have any friends and family come out? How nice is it to play so close to home?
For sure, I had all my friends from school come out. My whole family too - my mom and dad and my wife and son. They all came out. I always play my best at home. In Indian Wells and here to win the title twice, I always do well in Calfornia.
It's been a great start to the year, also reaching the Auckland quarters and third round at the Australian Open. Talk about the importance of starting the year strong.
It's really important to start the year strong. I always slow down a bit when the Europe swing comes around, so I need to get as much a lead on everyone now. I usually start the year strong because it's fast courts in Australia which I like and then the U.S. swing which I play well in. It's usually a stressful time of year for me, but so far it's the best start to a season I've ever had. I'm just looking to build off it and keep moving forward.
You got a big win over Gael Monfils in Australia and faced Roger Federer too. How important are those matches to see where your game is against the top players?
It's really important, especially playing three out of five sets. They're just really mental and physical matches. And against someone like Monfils and Federer, who have played a million best-of-five set matches, it's really good for me to see that I can come out on top. I wish I could have played better against Roger, but being on the big stages against the best players, I just need more experience with that so I can handle the moment better and play my best tennis.
He did it again! @Taylor_Fritz97 is defending his @OracleChallngrs Newport Beach title with a hard fought 76(6) 64 victory over @BraydenSchnur. Very well done, Taylor! Great final by both players. Great audience. @ATPChallenger pic.twitter.com/rgCIJIuWpF
— OracleTennis (@OracleTennis) January 27, 2019
What did you and your team focus on with your preseason training?
I did two weeks of very light hitting, mainly just weightlifting and conditioning. Tons of gym stuff. Our trainer in Orlando, Brent Salazar, is great. Toughest guy I've ever worked with. He's an ex-NFL strength and conditioning coach. So he was absolutely killing us for a couple weeks there. Then I came back to Carson (California) and worked a lot on my serve. Just hitting all the spots and being able to serve anywhere. A lot of movement too. It's showing, because I feel stronger and faster as well.
Finally, you are up to a career-high of 40 in the ATP Rankings. Did you set any goals for the year? How high can you climb?
I want to be Top 20 by the end of the year. Recently, I've seen that a lot of the guys around my age who finished a season around Top 40, would explode into the Top 20. Guys like Medvedev, Khachanov and Coric. I feel like this is a big year for me to rapidly move up the rankings.
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Highlights: Mahut/Herbert Beat Kontinen/Peers For 2019 Australian Open Doubles Crown
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Highlights: Djokovic Beats Nadal For Seventh Australian Open Title 2019
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Video : Berankis Blasts To Rennes Challenger Crown
Watch as Ricardas Berankis takes his 10th ATP Challenger Tour title, prevailing at the Open de Rennes in Rennes, France. Photo: Remy Chautard / Open de Rennes 2019
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Berankis Blasts To Rennes Challenger Crown
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Novak Djokovic rejects retirement claims and issues Roger Federer challenge
AUSTRALIAN OPEN winner Novak Djokovic has menacingly set his sights on surpassing Roger Federer’s all-time Grand Slam record of 20.
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Djokovic: 'It Was Truly A Perfect Match'
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Five Things We Learned From The Australian Open
1. Djokovic Is A Step Above The Field
Novak Djokovic underwent surgery on his right elbow after last year's Australian Open, and a return to the top of the sport was no guarantee. Last May, Djokovic’s record for the season sat at 6-6.
Just eight months later, Djokovic is the clear No. 1 player in the ATP Rankings. On Monday, when the new standings are released, Djokovic will lead World No. 2 Nadal by 2,635 points and World No. 3 Alexander Zverev by 4,480 points. The Serbian has won 36 of his past 39 matches, and 57 of 64 since his 6-6 start to 2018.
And perhaps it wasn’t that he won the tournament in Melbourne, but how he did it. In the semi-finals, Djokovic lost just four games against Lucas Pouille, marking the seventh time in the Open Era that a man had lost four games or less in a Grand Slam semi-final.
Then, with the championship on the line and a legend in Rafael Nadal across the net, the 31-year-old made just nine unforced errors in three sets to clinch a record-breaking seventh victory in Melbourne. It was Nadal’s 25th major final, and never before had the 17-time Slam champion failed to win a set.
“Twelve months ago it was highly unlikely I would be holding three Slams,” said Djokovic, who also triumphed at Wimbledon and the US Open in 2018. “I just have to be conscious of that and understand that I'm blessed.”
2. Nadal's Injury Lay-off Didn't Affect His Form
Nobody expected Djokovic to defeat Nadal in straight sets in the final, and that result does not take away from the Spaniard’s efforts this fortnight. After all, when he arrived at the Australian Open, Nadal had not played a tour-level match since retiring in last year's US Open semi-finals against Juan Martin del Potro.
You would not have been able to tell that Nadal missed four months by watching him bulldoze his way through the bottom half of the draw. The World No. 2 did not drop a set en route to the final, the seventh time he has done so at a major.
And most importantly, Nadal looks fit and ready for another strong season on the ATP Tour. He holds a 116-15 record since the start of the 2017 Australian Open, so a loss against Djokovic won’t dim his spirits.
“I had a great two weeks, being honest, I can't be sad,” Nadal said. “I played against a player that today was better than me. There's no doubt about that. That's all.”
3. Tsitsipas, Tiafoe Lead #NextGenATP Charge
There were a lot of firsts at this Australian Open for the #NextGenATP, with some of the world’s leading 21-and-under players leaving their marks at Melbourne Park. Leading the way was reigning Next Gen ATP Finals champion Stefanos Tsitsipas, who advanced to his maiden major semi-final.
This time last year, the Greek had just six tour-level wins to his name. But Tsitsipas stunned Roger Federer in the fourth round and backed that up with an impressive four-set victory against in-form Doha titlist Roberto Bautista Agut before falling short against Nadal. On Monday, Tsitsipas will climb to a career-high No. 12 in the ATP Rankings, 52 weeks on from sitting at No. 83.
Frances Tiafoe also made his biggest breakthrough yet, battling to his first Slam quarter-final. In his first 11 Grand Slam appearances, the American reached the third round just once. So beating fifth seed Kevin Anderson and 2017 Nitto ATP Finals champion Grigor Dimitrov en route to the last eight was impressive.
#NextGenATP Aussies Alex de Minaur and Alexei Popyrin thrilled their home crowd with runs to the third round, and Canadian Denis Shapovalov took one of the two sets Djokovic lost in the event.
4. Pouille, With Mauresmo In His Corner, Making A Push
Entering the Australian Open, Pouille had lost four tour-level matches in a row. Less than a year after cracking the Top 10 of the ATP Rankings for the first time, Pouille was the 28th seed in Melbourne.
But with new coach Amelie Mauresmo by his side, Pouille went on a memorable run to the semi-finals, where eventual champion Djokovic stopped him in three sets. Two especially impressive wins came against 11th seed Borna Coric and former World No. 3 Milos Raonic.
Pouille had lost all three of his FedEx ATP Head2Head clashes against Raonic heading into their quarter-final. In fact, the Frenchman had not won a set in any of those meetings. But he jumped to a two-set lead and battled past the Canadian in four sets to make his maiden major semi-final.
“I'm very happy the way I played and with the way I got into this tournament, this beginning of the year,” Pouille said. “I think it was the best start possible. It gives me a lot of confidence for the rest of the year.”
5. Herbert/Mahut Make History
Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut arrived in Melbourne with an opportunity to complete their career Grand Slam. The Frenchmen had triumphed as a team at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open. But an Australian Open trophy was still missing from their trophy cases.
After battling through three-setters in the second and third round, Herbert and Mahut found their stride, winning their final eight sets of the tournament to capture glory on Rod Laver Arena, ultimately defeating two-time Nitto ATP Finals winners Henri Kontinen and John Peers.
“We knew when we won Roland Garros [last year] that [the Australian Open] was the one missing, so for sure it added maybe a special motivation when entering to this tournament. After, it's always tricky because when you want something, you have to make the good decisions and to be in the good state of mind to be good on court,” Herbert said. “I think we wanted it, but we also wanted to be good on court in each match and we focused on the game, and that's why maybe today we could achieve what we achieved here at the Australian Open.”
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Rafael Nadal lost Australian Open final because of Novak Djokovic’s plan - Roenigkt
RAFAEL NADAL lost the Australian Open because of Novak Djokovic’s superb game plan, according to ESPN The Magazine senior writer Alyssa Roenigkt.
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Nadal: 'I Had A Great Two Weeks'
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Exclusive: Djokovic's Message To Fans
Novak Djokovic made history on Sunday evening, setting the record for Australian Open titles with seven after defeating Rafael Nadal in the championship match. After his victory, the Serbian sent an exclusive message to fans in appreciation of their support.
"I want to thank everyone for believing in me," Djokovic said. "Thank you once again. I love you all, and see you around the world!"
Watch Novak's full message:
📢 @DjokerNole fans...
— ATP Tour (@ATP_Tour) January 27, 2019
The 2019 #AusOpen champion has a message for you 👊 pic.twitter.com/AVjgES1V5E
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Djokovic Left Speechless After Passing Idol Sampras' Slam Mark
In 1993, Novak Djokovic was in Kopaonik, a city in the mountains of southern Serbia. Nobody in his family had ever touched a tennis racquet. But he remembers at six years old watching Pete Sampras clinch his first Wimbledon title.
Tennis might not have been in Djokovic’s blood, but witnessing that moment planted a dream in his mind. How cool would it be to do that one day?
Sampras tallied 14 Grand Slam titles, making him the all-time leader in major trophies when he retired in 2002. But seventeen years later, Djokovic’s dream has become more than a reality. The Serbian dominated Rafael Nadal in straight sets in the Australian Open final on Sunday evening to claim his 15th Slam victory, surpassing Sampras to move into third on the all-time list.
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“It was definitely a sign of destiny to start playing tennis, to aspire to be as good as Pete,” Djokovic said, reflecting on watching the American as a child. “To surpass him with Grand Slam titles, I'm speechless.”
But that’s not the only history the World No. 1 made with his stunning performance against the second seed. Djokovic now stands alone in the record books with seven Australian Open victories, breaking a tie with Roger Federer and Roy Emerson. After the match, Djokovic met with a host of Aussie legends — Emerson, Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall and Frank Sedgman — who congratulated him on his triumph.
“Mr. Emerson said he's pissed with me because I broke his record,” Djokovic said, cracking a smile. “It was the most beautiful, most expensive photo of the night, without a doubt, standing with those four legends... I'll definitely cherish that forever.”
It’s hard to believe that at this time last year, Djokovic was at perhaps his lowest low. A vexing right elbow injury forced the right-hander to undergo surgery after a fourth-round loss at the Australian Open. And by May, he owned just a 6-6 record for the season, at one point losing three matches in a row. That was something he had not done in more than a decade.
But ironically, Djokovic's breakthrough came against Nadal in a five-set classic in the Wimbledon semi-finals. That, as he has said, was the turning point. Djokovic would emerge victorious at SW19, complete his Career Golden Masters in Cincinnati, lift the US Open trophy and now he has returned to the Melbourne pedestal.
Djokovic is very much back on top of the tennis world. And on Monday, he will hold a 2,635-point lead over No. 2 Nadal in the ATP Rankings. One can argue this Australian Open was his most impressive performance during his comeback. The final was his 22nd FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting against Nadal that lasted at least three completed sets. And of all those clashes, this was the shortest. Djokovic struck just nine unforced errors under the utmost pressure to defeat Nadal in just two hours and four minutes. The Spaniard had not lost a set entering the championship match.
Watch ATP Uncovered: Sampras On Djokovic
“It ranks right at the top. Under the circumstances, playing against Nadal, such an important match, yeah, I mean, it's amazing,” Djokovic said. “I always believe I can play this way, visualise myself playing this way. At this level, as I said, under the circumstances, it was truly a perfect match.”
For now, Djokovic will relish the moment. But while the Serbian admits they remain far away, Nadal’s 17 Grand Slams and Federer’s 20 are well within reach.
“I am aware that making history of the sport that I truly love is something special. Of course, it motivates me. Playing Grand Slams, the biggest ATP events, is my utmost priority in this season and in seasons to come,” Djokovic said.
“I do want to definitely focus myself on continuing to improve my game and maintaining the overall well-being that I have mentally, physically, emotionally, so I will be able to compete at such a high level for the years to come, and have a shot at eventually getting closer to Roger's record.”
Last year, Djokovic left Melbourne after a shocking loss. This time, he departs after an exhilarating victory.
“I wasn't playing well, I wasn't feeling good on the court, I was questioning everything, I was doubting whether I will be able to play everyone on this level because I didn't know to what extent the operation of my elbow would affect my game.
“It was a huge learning curve for me, just the whole process was very special. I embraced the journey. I am very grateful to go through it. I would never change anything if I could turn back the time because things are just the way they should be.”
At the end of the day, this was all once just a dream. Djokovic was a little boy in Serbia, with no tennis ties in his family, watching Sampras on television. Now Djokovic is the star that children throughout the world are watching through their screens, dreaming of becoming like him one day.
“I just have to be conscious of that and understand that I'm blessed.”
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Behind The Scenes At The ATP Photo Shoot With Novak Djokovic
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Roger Federer clay court claim made as Novak Djokovic targets Grand Slam record
ROGER FEDERER'S decision to play on the clay is partly due to his desire to stay top of the all-time Grand Slam champion record.
from Daily Express :: Tennis Feed http://bit.ly/2sPyMkr
Novak Djokovic ‘p***ed’ off Australian Open legend by doing THIS
NOVAK DJOKOVIC “p***ed” off six-time Australian Open champion Roy Emerson by breaking his record.
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How Djokovic Beat Nadal For Record-Setting Australian Open Title
Unleash on the strength. Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 in the final of the Australian Open Sunday evening by doing exactly what conventional wisdom says you shouldn’t do – play to your opponent’s strength.
It should be a misprint, but Nadal, who had won 59 per cent of his baseline points coming into the final, only won 29.5 per cent (26/88) of his baseline points against the Super Serbian. Djokovic completely dismantled Nadal’s baseline game by going hard after his forehand.
Nadal had hit 100 forehand winners and 116 forehand errors to the final, but that ratio didn’t hold true against the World No. 1 on Sunday night at Melbourne Park. Nadal struck 11 forehand winners in the final, but committed 28 forehand errors as Djokovic constantly played wide through the Ad court to attack Nadal’s running forehand.
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The theory is simple. Nadal is the best player in the world at running around his backhand in the Deuce court and upgrading to a more potent forehand. With Nadal always looking to protect to the right, Djokovic attacked to the left.
Superb from the Serb. The first step was to break the forehand down. Then it was to double down on an overloaded backhand. Nadal had 33 backhand winners in six matches to the final, but struck just three against Djokovic while committing 21 errors.
Step two accomplished. It’s exactly the same demolition sequence at every level of our sport. Break down the forehand, then the backhand, and the serve will quickly become overheated.
Nadal made just 64 per cent first serves in the final, compared to 69 per cent leading into it. Nadal had won 81 per cent of first-serve points to the final, but that fell off a cliff to just 51 per cent against Djokovic.
If you can break down the forehand, the backhand, and then the serve, the match sits on a platter for the taking. Everywhere Nadal turned, he found a Serbian brick wall. The Spaniard was -14 in short rallies of zero-to-four shots against Djokovic, and -15 in the longer rallies of nine-plus.
Short didn’t work, and neither did long. Unfortunately for the Spaniard, he had nowhere to turn to to formulate a winning plan.
Rally Length - 2019 Australian Open Final
0-4 Shots = Djokovic 49 / Nadal 35 (Djokovic +14)
5-8 Shots = Djokovic 18 / Nadal 11 (Djokovic +7)
9+ Shots = Djokovic 22 / Nadal 7 (Djokovic +15)
The average rally length for the final was 5.03 shots, with Djokovic taking the honours everywhere you looked. He faced only one break point in the final, which he saved, while Nadal faced eight, losing five of them.
What bites hard for the Spaniard is that he made four first serves on the five break break points he lost, highlighting how Djokovic consistently turned defence into offence in the final.
Nadal had been dominant against second serves to the final, including winning a dominant 70 per cent against Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semi-finals. That number fell off a cliff in the final, as the Spaniard won only three of 19 second-serve points against Djokovic.
It’s now three Slams in a row, and the clock is still running.
Editor's Note: Craig O'Shannessy is a member of Novak Djokovic's coaching team.
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Novak Djokovic makes Roger Federer admission after beating Rafael Nadal at Australian Open
NOVAK DJOKOVIC admitted he wants to beat Roger Federer’s Grand Slam record after dispatching Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final this morning.
from Daily Express :: Tennis Feed http://bit.ly/2HAlNxm
Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka set new record to make tennis history at Australian Open
NOVAK DJOKOVIC and Naomi Osaka booked their place in history as the pair both triumphed at the Australian Open.
from Daily Express :: Tennis Feed http://bit.ly/2WmNgpF
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal receive Novak Djokovic warning after Australian Open win
NOBODY in tennis can live with Novak Djokovic’s ability to play “mind-blowing tennis”.
from Daily Express :: Tennis Feed http://bit.ly/2Rjy5JV
Nadal Positive After Djokovic Final Loss In Melbourne
Rafael Nadal may have fallen short in his bid to become the first man to win each of the four Grand Slam titles twice in the Open Era, but the Spaniard remained upbeat after his straight-sets loss to Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open final.
The 2009 champion had advanced to his fifth Australian Open championship match (1-4) in fine form, winning each of his six previous matches in straight sets to advance to his seventh Grand Slam final without dropping a set. But the 17-time Grand Slam winner proved no match for Djokovic, who captured a record-breaking seventh Australian Open crown after two hours and four minutes.
"I had a great two weeks, being honest, I can't be sad," said Nadal. "[It would] be not fair to be sad. I played against a player that today was better than me. [There is] no doubt about that. That's all... [These] have been two positive weeks.
"The only thing, probably, that I need is time and more matches. My feeling was I have been always in offensive positions during [these] two weeks, during six matches. Today, I knew that would not happen. Of course, he played better than during the rest of the tournament... Playing that well, it is so difficult for everybody... when he plays that level, it is so difficult to fight for victories against him."
Nadal was full of praise for the World No. 1, who commited just nine unforced errors throughout the match to lift his third straight Grand Slam trophy. Djokovic now owns a 28-25 FedEx ATP Head2Head record against the Spaniard, who was aiming to close the gap on Roger Federer in the all-time list for most Grand Slam titles. Last year at Melbourne Park, Federer lifted his 20th major trophy with a five-set win over Marin Cilic.
"Of course, he played fantastic," said Nadal. "At the same time, it is true that when he is playing that way, I think I need something else. I was not able to have that extra thing tonight.
"It was unbelievable the way that he played, no doubt about that. But at the same time it is true that probably physically I was not able. I played fantastic tennis during both weeks, but probably playing that well, I didn't suffer much during both weeks. Five months without competing, having that big challenge in front of me, I needed something else."
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The Australian Open marked Nadal's long-awaited return to tour-level action, following knee and abdomen injuries, as well as ankle surgery, after his US Open semi-final retirement against Juan Martin del Potro in September 2018. Nadal had originally planned to open his 2019 ATP Tour season at the Brisbane International, but a left thigh strain forced the 32-year-old to withdraw from the tournament and arrive in Melbourne with no tour-level match practice.
"I practised well, very well I think, but because of the things that happened to me in terms of surgery... I was not able to work that much [on my] defensive game," said Nadal. "I worked a lot on the offensive game, but not that much on the defensive game.
"To play against a player like him, playing the way he played tonight, I needed that defensive game to finally have the chance to be offensive. When he was hitting, it is true that maybe it was difficult to beat him even if I was at my 100 per cent. But, probably, it will be a little bit more [of a] fight."
With the past five months taken into consideration, Nadal will now look ahead to the rest of the 2019 ATP Tour season with a positive outlook on his ability to compete for the biggest titles in the sport. The former World No. 1 will take some time to consider his schedule in the coming months, with plans in place to return to action at the 2019 Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC in Acapulco.
"From my side [I am] very happy, [I have a] big personal satisfaction about the two weeks, you can't imagine... I have been going through very tough moments... Even if tonight was not my day, because the opponent played too good, and I was not ready to face that level tonight. But I believe that I can be ready in a couple of months if I am able to keep practising and to keep competing at that level."
from Tennis - ATP World Tour http://bit.ly/2CRGTlo