ATP Cup ideal preparation for Australia Open, says Djokovic after guiding Serbia into quarters
Tennis star helps team beat Chile 2-1 to enter last-eight
PHOTO: AFP
BRISBANE:
Serbian superstar Novak Djokovic said Wednesday that the ATP Cup was the ideal preparation for his bid to win an eighth Australian Open crown.
Speaking after Serbia beat Chile 2-1 to remain unbeaten after the round-robin stage, Djokovic said he wasn't fazed by having to play three top players in a row to start the season.
Djokovic made it three singles wins from three with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Cristian Garin, the world number 33, to win the tie for Serbia after Dusan Lajovic earlier beat Nicolas Jarry 6-2, 7-6 (7/2).
Jarry and Alejandro Tabilo salvaged some pride for Chile when they beat Viktor Troicki and Nikola Cacic in the doubles 6-3, 7-6 (7/2).
"I've never minded, to be honest, to face tough adversity from the blocks and have high-intensity matches from day one of the season," Djokovic, a 16-time grand slam winner, said. "I had Kevin Anderson who was playing some extraordinary tennis. I thought it was the toughest match I've played here in Brisbane.
"And again against (Gael) Monfils, even though it was straight sets, it was still a lot of rallies and it was quite long and exhausting. I really am really happy with the challenges that I've had in the last six, seven days here, and hopefully that can allow me to build my form for Sydney and Melbourne later."
Serbia now travel to Sydney, where they will take on the eighth-ranked team in the quarter-finals and Djokovic said he expected to have even more support from Serbian fans there than in Brisbane.
Serbian superstar Novak Djokovic said Wednesday that the ATP Cup was the ideal preparation for his bid to win an eighth Australian Open crown.
Speaking after Serbia beat Chile 2-1 to remain unbeaten after the round-robin stage, Djokovic said he wasn't fazed by having to play three top players in a row to start the season.
Djokovic made it three singles wins from three with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Cristian Garin, the world number 33, to win the tie for Serbia after Dusan Lajovic earlier beat Nicolas Jarry 6-2, 7-6 (7/2).
Jarry and Alejandro Tabilo salvaged some pride for Chile when they beat Viktor Troicki and Nikola Cacic in the doubles 6-3, 7-6 (7/2).
"I've never minded, to be honest, to face tough adversity from the blocks and have high-intensity matches from day one of the season," Djokovic, a 16-time grand slam winner, said. "I had Kevin Anderson who was playing some extraordinary tennis. I thought it was the toughest match I've played here in Brisbane.
"And again against (Gael) Monfils, even though it was straight sets, it was still a lot of rallies and it was quite long and exhausting. I really am really happy with the challenges that I've had in the last six, seven days here, and hopefully that can allow me to build my form for Sydney and Melbourne later."
Serbia now travel to Sydney, where they will take on the eighth-ranked team in the quarter-finals and Djokovic said he expected to have even more support from Serbian fans there than in Brisbane.