Nadal, Djokovic make winning start in ATP Cup

By Daily Sports on January 5, 2020

World number one Rafa Nadal overcame a temporary blip on his way to victory at the ATP Cup on Saturday.

His win came shortly after Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic survived a tough battle against fit-again South African Kevin Anderson.

The 15 million dollars (about 11.46 million pounds) ATP Cup, which features 24 nations competing in Perth, Brisbane and Sydney over 10 days, is a solid platform.

It is for the world’s top players and helps them to prepare for this month’s Australian Open, which starts in Melbourne from Jan. 20.

Nadal was broken in his first service game but found his groove immediately to break back.

Another break of Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili’s serve was enough for him to win the opening set.

He broke his opponent twice to jump to a 5-2 lead in the second but faced two consecutive breaks on his own serve which levelled the set at 5-5.

Nadal then broke again and held on to seal the tie for his team with a 6-3 7-5 victory in Perth.

Djokovic defeated Nadal in last year’s Australian Open men’s singles final for a record seventh title at Melbourne Park.

But this time, he had to dig deep in his 7-6(5) 7-6(6) defeat of Anderson to win the tie for Serbia in Brisbane.

Anderson, 33, returned to court for the first time since Wimbledon and played only five tournaments in 2019 due to elbow and knee injuries.

The runner-up at Wimbledon in 2018, when he lost the final to the Serb, fell to a 4-1 deficit in the opening set but fought back brilliantly to even things out.

Djokovic soon lost his cool and got into a lengthy argument with the chair umpire after being denied an opportunity to challenge.

On the next point he furiously admonished the crowd for disturbance during a rally.

“What a way to start the year.

“I started off extremely well, I was 4-1 up and had some break points but then Kevin upped his game.

“He was on fire tonight. I think the quality of tennis was quite high.

“I was very pleased with the way I kind of weathered the storm,’’ Djokovic said.

World number four Dominic Thiem did not have a great start to his preparation for the year’s first Grand Slam in two weeks’ time.

He fell 6(4)-7 6-2 3-6 to Borna Coric of Croatia.

Coric’s win over the 2019 ATP Finals runner-up was enough for Croatia as 2014 U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic earlier rallied to beat Dennis Novak 6-7(4) 6-4 6-4.

Earlier, the experienced pair of Gael Monfils, who finished 2019 in the top 10, and Benoit Paire won their singles matches to help France seal their tie against Chile in Brisbane.

Argentina required their doubles pairing of Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni to step up to the plate to clinch the tie against Poland.

That was after Guido Pella and Hubert Hurkacz won their respective singles rubbers to level the tie at 1-1.

The players had to negotiate trying conditions in Sydney, which saw temperatures reach 44 degrees Celsius, in spite of the new canopy roof over the Ken Rosewall Arena and air conditioners.

Japan, who are without injured Kei Nishikori, had an easy day in Perth.

Yoshihito Nishioka and Go Soeda breezed through their singles matches against Uruguay’s Pablo Cuevas and Martin Cuevas respectively. (Reuters/NAN)

•PHOTO: Nadal in action

Source Daily Sports

Posted January 5, 2020


 

You may also like...
Pogba Backs Kante To Beat Messi & Ronaldo...

All hands on deck to support Messi to...

Sevilla leave it late to snatch draw against...

‘Pray For Nigeria’ — Global Football Stars Join...

Sheffield United Earn First Win Back in Premier...

Belgium sack Coach Marc Wilmot

 

Latest News CAF awards: Ajibade, Nnadozie, Edo Queens bag nominations Lagos SWAN, PAACC Hold SWAN Day At Golfview Hotels, Ikeja Crisis looms as Eagles’ form raises AFCON, W’Cup concerns Ex-Nigerian Super Falcons player handcuffed, children assaulted as police storm Anambra Football Academy Sports NFF, teammates console Nwabali on father’s death Abia Govt hails Nigeria Olympic Committee over staging an admin course in Umuahia Libya deliver Eagles 2025 AFCON ticket Eagles battle Cheetahs for 2025 AFCON ticket Yellow Greens gear up for T20 W’Cup qualifiers Tyson tips Fury to beat Joshua Sadiq absent as 22 Eagles train in Abidjan Eagles’ striking trio hot for Cheetahs, Amavubi clashes

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,164 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,308 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,370 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (44,015 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (43,948 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (43,904 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (43,743 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,312 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,366 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,054 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,507 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (38,931 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media