Tennis: Djokovic gives up on Federer’s record

By Daily Sports on October 12, 2016

A new-look Novak Djokovic said he had given up on chasing Roger Federer’s record 17 Grand Slam titles as he made a winning return to the tennis circuit on Tuesday.

Djokovic, the formerly indomitable Serb who has bullied his rivals over the past two seasons, said he had undergone a radical rethink after his travails of recent months.

The 29-year-old said he no longer saw protecting his world number one ranking, now under threat from Andy Murray, as his priority, or breaking Federer’s all-time record.

The 12-time Grand Slam-winner beat Fabio Fognini 6-3, 6-3 at the Shanghai Masters in his first match back after skipping last week’s China Open with an elbow injury.

“Right now, no,” he said, when asked if surpassing Federer’s 17 major titles was still one of his goals. “I don’t think about that at all.

“I don’t think about any trophies or number ones in the world, rankings, anything like that. It’s completely different.

“It is there, because I play partly because I enjoy being successful and seeing the results of my work. But on the other hand that comes second.”

Djokovic has been in a funk since completing a career Grand Slam — and a run of four straight major titles — at the French Open in June.

The Serb, who has admitted having “private issues”, lost in Wimbledon’s third round, and then failed to win a match at the Rio Olympics before finishing runner-up at the US Open.

He said he had had a complete change of heart about his approach to tennis because the “must-win mindset… is not working for me any more”.

“I try to be in this moment and take things slowly, and, you know, I’m not rushing anywhere. I’m not in a need, you know, to achieve anything,” he said.

“I feel like I have overcome that step. Right now it’s about just, you know, following my gut, following my instinct, whatever I feel like doing.”

He added: “Just before I arrived to Olympic Games, things were looking great, I was in great shape. I won Toronto. You know, I was, as I can say, the peak of my abilities.

“I was extremely motivated to do well there, but I lost that equilibrium. I lost that balance, because I exaggerated with the way I pushed myself in that kind of preparation and I really, you know, wanted it too much maybe.”

The mental revamp is astonishing from a player who has long pushed himself to the limit in pursuit of perfection — but who didn’t have to stretch himself against Italy’s Fognini.

A lone break of serve was enough for Djokovic to win the first set and Fognini matched the Serb with strong baseline play until 3-3 in the second set.

But Fognini’s serve deserted him as he double-faulted to hand over a break, and then again for three match points, before sealing his fate with his seventh and final double.

Djokovic gave the Italian a wry smile of sympathy as they shook hands. The defending champion will play Grigor Dimitrov or Vasek Pospisil in the third round.

Earlier outspoken Australian Nick Kyrgios said he had to stifle yawns as he dispatched Sam Querrey 6-4, 6-4 to tot up his sixth win in a row.

Kyrgios said he was “bored” and tired after last week’s exertions at the Japan Open, where he lifted the third trophy of his season and career on Sunday.

“I was just a little bit bored at times,” he said, when asked why he wasn’t his usual vocal self on court. “I was feeling very tired today.”

Juan Martin del Potro has also been in strong form but his tournament was quickly over when he was dumped out by Belgian seed David Goffin 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in 2hr 18min.

Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov beat French seed Richard Gasquet 6-4, 6-4 as he bounced back quickly from losing Sunday’s China Open final to Andy Murray.

Germany’s Alexander Zverev, 19, heightened his growing reputation when he beat eighth-seeded former US Open champion Marin Cilic 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

But Australia’s Bernard Tomic said his season might be over after he retired with an abdominal problem while 3-6, 3-0 down against Roberto Bautista. (NAN)

•Photo shows Novak Djokovic

Source Daily Sports

Posted October 12, 2016


 

You may also like...
Atletico edge NPFL- All Stars

De Bruyne Named Premier League Player Of The...

Abia Angels FC gets new club head

Liverpool stage incredible comeback to hit Europa League...

Gyan Makes Nations Cup U-Turn after President Intervenes...

Manchester United Confirm Sancho Signing

 

Latest News Nigeria beat Cameroon to reach IHF final 27 schools for Doregos Basketball Championship Super Falcons to play France’s Les Bleues in friendly SWAN suspends ban on coverage of Anambra FA activities Joshua among boxing’s top three earners in 2024 Oshoala makes history with Bay FC Nnamani hails team over IHF bright start Flamingos lift U-17 W’Cup Fair Play Trophy Rangers Intl, SWAN partner on sports collaboration in SE LAGOS SWAN CELEBRATES AIG ZONE 2 ON HIS BIRTHDAY AND 30 DAYS IN OFFICE Traders Cup: Upholstery Soccer Team Secured 2nd Win To Advance To Round Two Lagos SWAN Celebrates Oba Akiolu, Iyaloja General, AIG Fayoade

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,140 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,267 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,349 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (43,989 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (43,930 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (43,877 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (43,717 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,287 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,331 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,034 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,487 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (38,915 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