Novak Djoković

[sheva]

Đoković musi pauzować co najmniej przez miesiąc

Lider światowego rankingu tenisistów ATP World Tour Serb Novak Đoković z powodu kontuzji żeber nie będzie grał co najmniej przez miesiąc - oświadczył lekarz drużyny daviscupowej tego kraju Zdenko Milinković w wywiadzie dla gazety "Blic".
W niedzielę w czasie meczu Pucharu Davis z Argentyną, przegranym 2:3, Đokoviciowi odnowiła się kontuzja żeber, której doznał w czasie ostatniego, wygranego przez niego turnieju wielkoszlemowego, US Open w Nowym Jorku.

Đoković jest z 14 720 punktami liderem światowego rankingu ATP, w którym wyprzedza Hiszpana Rafaela Nadala - 10 620 oraz Szwajcara Rogera Federera - 8 380 pkt.

http://www.sportowefakty.pl/tenis/2011/ ... z-miesiac/

[Barty]

Lepsze wieści z obozu Serba.

Reports on Nole being out for 4 weeks may have been premature. Belgrade media report that Nole is recovering and will play in Beijing.

[Joao]

Sukces Djokovicia? Lekarz zdradza, jak to było

Igor Cetojević, serbski lekarz Novaka Djokovicia zdradził w jaki sposób dowiedział się, że tenisista jest uczulony na gluten. Okazuje się, że wykorzystał specjalną maszynę analizującą przepływ fal elektromagnetycznych. Wykorzystał też elementy chińskiej medycyny i medytacji, a posiłki Serba były... poświęcone przed jedzeniem.

Od dawna mówiło się, że jednym z elementów sukcesu Djokovicia jest nowa dieta. Wyeliminowanie z posiłków glutenu, a wraz z nim większości produktów zbożowych, sprawiło, że Serb wyleczył się z pokarmowych alergii. Stał się bardziej wytrzymały, silniejszy, przestał miewać duszności.

Djoković wygrał w tym roku trzy turnieje Wielkiego Szlema, przegrał od stycznia raptem trzy mecze, licząc z występami w Pucharze Davisa. Zwyciężył w 10 turniejach i zarobił rekordowe 10,6 mln dol.

Agencji Associated Press udało się porozmawiać telefonicznie z lekarzem Igorem Cetojeviciem, który stoi za rewolucją w diecie Serba.

Cetojevic przyznał, że do nawiązania współpracy doszło przypadkowo. Podczas Australian Open w 2008 r. żona lekarza zwróciła uwagę, że Novak jest na coś uczulony. - Pomóż mu, przecież znasz się na tym, to twój rodak - powiedziała. Cetojević dotarł do ludzi Serba i zostawił swoje namiary. Odezwali się jednak dopiero w 2010 r., gdy Djoković nie umiał odnaleźć formy.

Cetojević zgodził się pomóc i przeprowadził szereg niekonwencjonalnych badań, m.in. z wykorzystaniem urządzenia o nazwie SCIO bio-feedback, które komputerowo analizowało przepływ fal elektromagnetycznych w organizmie. W celu przeprowadzenia tego badania do głowy, rąk, a czasem także nóg pacjenta podłącza się specjalne kabelki.

- Na wykresach widzimy jak przebiega większość procesów w organizmie, co trzeba wyeliminować, a co wzmocnić. Wskaźnik szkodliwego działania glutenu na wykresie Novaka przebił sufit - obrazowo tłumaczył Cetojević, który jest też specjalistą od medycyny wschodu i magnetoterapii.

Serbski lekarz nie tylko wprowadził niekonwencjonalne metody, ale też wiele elementów wschodniej medycyny i medytacji. - Zacząłem go uczyć, że jedzenie i posiłki trzeba celebrować, szanować, że trzeba mieć odpowiednie nastawienie, wewnętrzny spokój - opowiadał Cetojević. Djoković od tej pory nie mógł np. podczas posiłków rozmawiać przez telefon, bo oznaczało to brak szacunku dla jedzenia, a co za tym idzie, własnego ciała.

Wiele nowych pomysłów, m.in. święcenie jedzenia przed posiłkiem, w celu "zapewnienia emocjonalnego, duchowego związku ze spożywanym pokarmem", nie podobało się niektórym osobom ze sztabu Serba. Szczególnie przerażeni byli, gdy cały czas chudł. Później jednak dziękowali Cetojeviciowi, bo okazało się, że Djoković przestał przegrywać i dosłownie przez pół roku nie było na niego mocnych. Przegrał dopiero w półfinale Rolanda Garrosa z Rogerem Federerem. - W chińskiej medycynie mówimy, że pewność siebie ma swój początek w żołądku - stwierdził Cetojević, który po Wimbledonie razem z Novakiem uznał, że jego misja jest zakończona. Wrócił do swojej praktyki na Cyprze i jego usługi znów są do wynajęcia.

http://www.sport.pl/tenis/1,64987,10343 ... _bylo.html

[Art]

I'm sorry, Novak Djokovic

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, well, shame on you again. But fool me 64 times and send me swiftly to the shrink.

We're all searching to unearth the Novak Djokovic secret. How did this jokester-turned juggernaut transform himself into the game's best? The diet details and this spaceship-like pressurized egg thingy that purportedly simulates high altitude and production of red blood cells are well-known. (By the way, it's been reported that side effects may include headaches, vomiting and fatigue -- not exactly a tennis player's winning formula. Also, odd that this form of oxygen therapy, which, in this case, is ultimately used for endurance can cause languish. Kind of counterintuitive, no? Maybe try something less involved -- you know, like a bed.)

Anyway, where were we? Yes, Djokovic and the butt-kicking cog he is. Event after event. Match by match. Set by set. He simply never succumbed to the rigors of the job. He never once failed the Rafael Nadal test (6-0 in 2011). He refused to let a couple of meager match points against Roger Federer come between him and his third Slam of the season. But now that the results of event after event, match by match and set by set are in, there's no choice but to confess the ugly truth: I was not a believer. Never once did I look to you in our (so-called) experts' picks. Heck, you weren't even my second choice. Once, I even had a fleeting thought of (gasp!) taking Andy Murray. Oh my goodness, how did it all go so wrong? (Another pressurized chamber tidbit: No tangible evidence, to this point, that it aids in making smart choices.)

So, Novak Djokovic, you of the absurd 64-3 record, a heartfelt apology is long overdue. I'm sorry for not being a true believer, from your mastery in Melbourne, to your beloved Wimbledon crown, to the trifecta in Flushing.

Through all those wins, titles (10), trophies (10, too) and accolades (a whole lot), I didn't have confidence in the man oozing with confidence, the force who singlehandedly ripped apart the dynamic duopoly of Nadal and Federer. And you accomplished all these feats by gracefully assimilating to each new environment, court surface and a new arrangement of fidgety foes just waiting to thwart the indomitable Djoker. They all failed. You did not.

But lest we forget, you defied the detractors in all those non-Slam events, too. Five Masters Series titles -- an ATP World Tour record. From Indian Wells to Montreal you were too good, too focused. And these were not flimsy opponents by any stretch. At the Rogers Cup, when so many of us foolishly predicted a post-Wimbledon letdown, your victims, in order, were Nikolay Davydenko, Marin Cilic, Gael Monfils, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Mardy Fish. Not exactly cupcakes. But the total number of sets you lost: one.

I'm especially regretful for not buying into your clay-court prowess (actually, awesomeness). In Rome, I vividly remember watching you scrap with Murray in a three-hour instant classic. The next day that clay creature known as Nadal was waiting -- ready to snap that insane streak of yours. But he couldn't even squeeze a set out of you.

And this coming a week after bullying around the Spaniard on his home turf in Madrid.

Sure, there was that slight hiccup at the French Open. Hey, a 16-time Grand Slam champ (that's a record) will do that to you -- once in a while. But you rebounded so eloquently on the lush lawns of Wimbledon, where Jo-Willy and Rafa could each muster only a solitary set against you in the final two rounds. That's where you finally captured your dream.

Novak, there are a few noteworthy tournaments left into which we know you'll sink your teeth. But at this point, even lackluster outcomes won't soil a mighty season that's challenging the very best in tennis lore. All those confounding results from a guy who was the scorn of the sport seem like ages ago. You've found the precise balance of goofiness off the court and gravitas on it. You've convinced us that fitness is no longer an impediment (please note, no hyperbaric chamber jibber-jabber here). Whatever your routine is, it's proved to be a panacea to all those problems of yesterday.

You've converted me; I only wish it didn't take so long to put my faith in your profound ability to make the rest of the tour look so darn pedestrian. It took 64 times, but I now genuflect to your tennis genius. I believe.

http://espn.go.com/tennis/blog/_/name/e ... k-djokovic

[Alan]

UNICEF Ambassador Djokovic Visits Serbian Kindergarten


UNICEF Ambassador Novak Djokovic visited
a kindergarten in Serbia.

New UNICEF Ambassador Novak Djokovic paid a visit Monday to a kindergarten in Smederevo, Serbia, where he spent time interacting with the children between the ages of three and five.

“I was on the field visit to pre-school ‘Pcelica’ (‘Little Bee’) in Smederevo as ambassador for UNICEF for early childhood education,” the World No. 1 shared on Facebook and Twitter. “I had a lot of fun with kids, they were so eager to play and ask questions and show their little talents.

“I hope to see more of these kind of institutions which integrate children from all areas, and children with disabilities and Roma children. Every child deserves the opportunity to grow in a clean, healthy environment where they can play and learn and reach their potential.”

Djokovic was recently named a National Ambassador for UNICEF in Serbia. Through his role, the 24 year old will serve as an advocate for children’s rights and early childhood education.

“Through my work with UNICEF, I want to help Serbian children realise their dreams,” Djokovic said upon accepting the position in late August. “I want to help them understand that they have rights and that those rights should be protected. I want them to believe that anything is possible.”

Rima Salah, Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF, applauded the appointment: “Novak Djokovic is a natural fit for UNICEF. He cares deeply about the welfare of Serbian children, bringing the same passion and enthusiasm for his career on the court to addressing issues affecting children.”

Expanding early education to include all children has been recognised as a key priority in Serbia. Less than half of all children under the age of five attend early education programs, dropping to one in 10 for those from vulnerable groups.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis ... Visit.aspx

[sheva]

Pete Sampras: Djokovic’s Season Best I’ve Seen in My Lifetime

Speaking before an ATP Champions circuit event Thursday in South Florida, Pete Sampras heralded Novak Djokovic’s current season as the best he’s ever seen.

“At least in my lifetime, the best ever,” Sampras told the Palm Beach Post.

“I always thought Novak was a bit temperamental and would go through these lapses that would prevent him from winning majors,” Sampras said to the paper. “And now you look - he lost the first two sets against Roger and boom! He recovered within a couple of minutes. He’s got a short memory now. He’s progressed into this great champion.”

This year the 64-3 Djokovic has won 10 titles including three Grand Slam events.

Sampras also opined on the current player revolt brewing on the tour and the US Open scheduling issue. “Quite honestly, the U.S. Open has it coming,” Sampras said. “The handwriting’s on the wall.”

Sampras went on to beat Jim Courier last night to win the HSBC Tennis Cup held at the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida.

http://www.tennis-x.com/xblog/2011-09-23/8014.php

[jaccol55]

Novak Djokovic retires from China Open due to injury



The China Open is just around the corner, theworld’s No.1, defending champion of men’s single, Novak Djokovic announced that he will quit China Open due to health problem. Djokovic’steam will give explanation to Organizing Committee to provide detailed information later.

After The U.S. Open, Djokovic attended Davis Cup, but he retired in the middle unexpectedly. Then, media and press in Serbia disclosed that his muscle was torn and he would leave the court for up to four weeks. Djokovic’s team responded soon after this news and claimed that although Djokovic’s injury was not that serious as the news said. At thesame time, the team contacted China Open and stated that Djokovic wouldn't miss the journey in China Open.

During last week, Djokovic was keeping close contact with Organizing Committee of China Open. Though he fought against injury, he paid attention to the activity with LI Na during the tournament atthe same time. Before he set out to Beijing, Djokovic had another physical check. Unfortunately, the result showed that he didn’t recover as expected. The world's No.1 was forced to retire from China Open.

http://www.chinaopen.com.cn/en/news/201 ... 7273.shtml

[Samurray]

[ginny]

[sheva]

Djokovic to decide his China fate soon



Novak Djokovic is due to decide by the end of the week if his fitness is good enough to carry him through to the end of his fabulous ATP season, with the Serb entered in his next event starting on Monday in Beijing.

But after collapsing to the court in agony with his existing back and rib injuries during the Davis Cup semifinals against Argentina, all bets were off as to how long the No. 1 might actually be away from the game. Some doctors said a month; no one actually knew for sure.

But Djokovic may have dropped a huge hint as to his form by playing this week in a charity football match in Belgrade - and scoring a goal as well. The fund-raiser was held on a proper pitch with uniforms and a serious attitude.

There seemed to be no stopping the Serb as he raced around in attack at the game, which raised around $8,000 to fund incubators for maternity hospitals.

Djokovic, winner of 10 titles in 2011, including three of the four majors, said he would undergo a final medical consultation. By the time that is done, his decision would be communicated to anxious orgnizers in Beijing only hours before the Saturday tournament draw at the dual ATP-WTA event.

The player's Italian clothing sponsor is Chinese-owned and Djokovic carries a huge fan base in China. With the absence of Roger Federer form the Shanghai Masters the week following, the pressure is on Djokovic to front up.

http://www.tennistalk.com/en/news/20110 ... _fate_soon

[sheva]

Novak Djokovic: Why Having to Defend His 2011 Points Is Not a Problem

Serbian Novak Djokovic has already had a season for the ages and it just might end up as the best in the Open era. As a consequence, he's accumulated thousands of points and reached the pinnacle of the sport as the world's No. 1.

This has led some observers and many fans to speculate that all these points may turn out to be some sort of problem next year when he has to defend them.

While there certainly is a risk that he cannot defend all of them and essentially repeat his flawless 2011 season, the points earned can hardly turn into something negative for him.

Saying otherwise reflects a fundamental misunderstanding about how the ranking system works.

Here's why: A player's ranking is determined by the results in the past 12 months, simple as that.

So, say we come to the end of March and Djokovic has failed to recapture the Australian Open, Indian Wells and Miami, while his closest competitor, Rafael Nadal, has captured all those titles. Would this prove that Djokovic having to defend those points essentially was a bad thing?

By no means. His splendid April to September would still give him enough cushion to stay World No. 1 (or 2, given how the rest of the season falls out).

Basically, everything he earned this year will help him keep his ranking next year until the same tournament comes around again.

The year-to-date ranking is of course different and only counts what you've won this year. So, on this list, everybody starts from the same base in January, but on the ATP ranking, Djokovic will still benefit from his all his tournament wins. That is, until the same tournament comes around again.

To give an example:

If we take a look at the WTA, Caroline Wozniacki is still No. 1 for one reason: She had a magnificent summer and fall last year and is still leading because of those points (and because the rest of the WTA players haven't been that consistent).

You can of course argue that having to defend points is a mental challenge. Coming into a tournament as the defending champion provides greater pressure. Likewise, being No. 1 and thus being the prey rather than the hunter provides greater pressure.

And while there may be some truth to that, this is an altogether different argument.

Moreover, Djokovic doesn't exactly seem to have faltered since becoming No. 1. After all, he won the US Open coming into the tournament as a huge favourite.

Djokovic's points is an asset to him, not a cause of concern.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/8723 ... -a-problem

[robpal]

Ja tam już od dawna mam ustalone, że Rafa wygrywa Tokio i Szanghaj i po Miami wraca na tron.
Widzę, że nie podzielają moich przemyśleń

[DUN I LOVE]

Widzę, że nie podzielają moich przemyśleń

Po prostu nie znają się na tenisie.

[sheva]

Most Elevated



“Was this the greatest night in the history of baseball?”

That question was posed by an ESPN anchor to Tim Kurkjian, the network's MLB expert, on Thursday morning. A few hours earlier, two teams, the Atlanta Braves and the Boston Red Sox, had completed historic end-of-season collapses at virtually the same moment. Kurkjian's answer? Do I really need to tell you? Yes, of course it was the greatest single night in the century-and-a-half history of the national pastime. And I agree, it was exciting, even if I did manage to fall asleep somewhere along the way. But I wonder: Will anyone outside of those two collapsed cities, Boston and Atlanta, remember it in a year?

Hyperbole is what we do in sports—we're the greatest ever at declaring things the greatest ever. Write a post about Victoria Azarenka’s bad shoulder, and an hour later you’ll find 10 commenters screaming at each other about whether Laver or Federer is the One True Goat. I’m not totally against this kind of chatter. I’m not spoilsport enough to declare that “Goats don’t exist"; I really do think Roger Federer is the best ever, and that the 2008 Wimbledon men’s final was the “greatest match of all time.” But there must be moderation in all things. How about we have a Goat summit meeting once a year? We could schedule it over the Christmas holidays.

There hasn’t been much moderation surrounding tennis’s latest greatest achievement, Novak Djokovic’s 2011 season. It didn’t even take half the year before speculation began about whether it was the best in men’s tennis history (or, for those of us who wanted to inject some futile last-minute sanity into the discussion, Open era history). There was a reason, or reason enough, for all of this premature talk: Djokovic wasn’t losing, to anyone. But there was also a wish among fans and commentators and editors to believe that we really were witnessing something historic, despite the cold hard fact that after his loss at the French Open, Djokovic would never match Rod Laver’s gold-standard Grand Slam of 1969. The desire to see history, and believe that you’re part of it, is strong.

Now that the biggest moments of Djokovic’s 2011 are over, and injury has slowed him, we can make a better assessment of his accomplishments. If his season isn’t the Greatest, what is it? First of all, it’s obviously not over yet. If he skips the Shanghai Masters, he will likely play three more events, in Basel, Paris, and London. If he wins all of them he could improve his record from its current 64-3 to something along the lines of 78-3. I would guess that this isn’t going to happen, except that I've already guessed that a lot of things wouldn’t happen for Djokovic this year that did. However he wraps it up, though, this has been one of the best seasons we’ve seen. Only five other men in the Open era (Laver, Connors, Wilander, Federer, and Nadal) have won at least three majors in a year, and no one has won five Masters events to go along with them. Yes, the Masters Series is a fairly new invention, but it’s still a testament to Djokovic’s consistency and surface versatility. Only McEnroe’s 82-3 in 1984 and Federer’s 92-5 in 2006 are in the same winning percentage stratosphere.

To me, though, another stat should, in the future, give people a true idea of Djokovic’s excellence this year: His 10-1 record against Federer and Nadal. That’s like killing two Goats at once; or like someone coming along in 1981 and dominating both Borg and McEnroe—you can’t say Djokovic had it easy. In fact, the only reason that his season isn’t vying with Laver's is that the Greatest of All Time, Federer, played some of his greatest tennis, in the year’s greatest match, in the semis of the French Open. And Djokovic was still a couple of points from sending it to a fifth set and most likely winning it. But while Federer came out on top, it was Djokovic’s streak, and the surreal quality of his season, that made that afternoon in Paris the most dramatic of the year.

Whether Djokovic’s 2011 is “better” than Federer’s '06 or Mac’s '84 or Rafa’s '10 or Connors’ '74 can be hashed out when it’s finally over and the numbers are all in. But I will say that the experience of watching him through this year has been unique. Djokovic started on top of the mountain in Melbourne and only got better from there. He won when we didn’t expect him to—against Nadal on clay—and he won when the expectations were immense, at the U.S. Open. He bounced back from the crushing disappointment of Paris to win Wimbledon, and came back to win when he really didn’t need to, against Andy Murray in the semis in Rome. What makes Djokovic’s season special to me was that it seemed like one long sustained performance—while he triumphed in a dozen different ways, it felt like one big, brilliant winning match, played on every surface, all over the world. I don’t think his season will end up being called the Greatest, but it may be the Most Elevated: Nobody has gotten closer to levitating on a tennis court than Djokovic did in 2011. May he rise again soon.

*****

Have a good weekend.

Steve Tignor

http://blogs.tennis.com/thewrap/2011/09 ... vated.html

[sheva]

Novak Djokovic: Can He Be One of the Best of All Time?



Novak Djokovic is in the process of putting together what could, in hindsight, be seen as the greatest achievement in tennis in a calendar year and, as a result, speculation and doubts will have their day.

Questions are being asked and answers are being sought—some people are looking for a new Messiah, while others are determined for things to return to how they used to be. Some will stop at nothing to deride and discredit, while others, aware that tennis works in cycles, believe (or perhaps hope) that this is the dawn of something new and exciting.

There are three pertinent questions regarding Novak Djokovic that ought to be answered before any surmises about his future can be made:

1. Can Djokovic keep up his level of performance so far in 2011 for consecutive years?
2. If yes, can Djokovic be one of the best of all time?
3. Do the chances of any of these things happening depend, in any way whatsoever, on the hope that Rafael Nadal remains unable to bounce back against Djokovic?

Let's see to these questions.

1. Can Djokovic keep up his level of performance so far in 2011 for consecutive years?

I don't see why not. It is certainly the expectation that he will continue where he has left off. However, the key word is 'expectation'.

Not all expectations are realistic. Djokovic's game is based on consistency and the potent mix between a 'nothing to lose' attitude and the 'I will pull it off' mindset. Djokovic needs to be on top of his game (depth-wise, positioning-wise, etc) every time he plays. You never see him taking a break. Now, that's certainly achievable for a year, a year and a half—but not much longer.

Yes, Djokovic can play out-of-this-world tennis—but what happens when he gets drained?

So, can Djokovic keep up his 2011 level of performance? For a while perhaps, but it can't (and shouldn't) last.

2. If yes, can Djokovic be one of the best of all time?

Djokovic's chances of becoming one of the best of all time will depend on his ability to win Grand Slam titles when he is not playing up to his 2011 standards.

So, what are Djokovic's chances of winning when he is sub-par? It's hard to say. While Djokovic has enough (and extra) to win when he plays up to his potential (as we have seen this year), why couldn't he win during his sub-par seasons like 2009 and 2010?

Barring Rafael Nadal's two extraordinary seasons (2008 and 2010), the Spainaird still managed to win a slam a year from 2005-07 and also in 2011.

The slams that differentiate a player from the pack are the ones you win when far from your best. Why? Well, frankly speaking, playing lights-out tennis for two weeks in a Grand Slam tournament—while being the name of the game—is a feat that can be achieved by any random self-respecting professional who applies himself. Achieving this feat when at 60-70 percent is the real test of greatness.

Can Djokovic be one of the best of all time? Yes he can, but to achieve this he'll have to cultivate the ability to win when not at his best.

3. Do the chances of any of these things happening depend, in any way whatsoever, on the hope that Rafael Nadal remains unable to fully bounce back against Djokovic?

Unfortunately, yes, that seems to be the case. And, again unfortunately, such a situation is not the healthiest of foundations to build the dreams and aspirations of a career upon.

Watching Djokovic play Nadal, it must be admitted that there are undertones defining the match-up that say—even before the first swing of the racket is made—that for Novak to defeat Nadal, Nadal must oblige to defeat.

There are subtle differences between defeating a player who hadn't reached his peak (Nadal defeating Djokovic in the years 2009 and 2010) and defeating a player who failed to play up to his abilities (Djokovic defeating Nadal this year).

Although both cases depend, in some shape or form, on the losing player not being at his best, the latter depends on the losing player's complacency while the former depends on the losing player's naivete. It is easier to correct complacency than to overcome naivety.

Do Djokovic's chances of being one of the best of all time depend on Nadal failing to fully bounce back from his losses this year? Yes they do. There has been an element of complacency with Nadal in some of his losses to Novak this year. However, Nadal is not, at this stage, naive.

All in all, can Novak Djokovic be one of the best of all time? Yes he can, but he will have learn to win when he's below par because Nadal—his biggest rival—may get complacent at times, but he won't ever be naive.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/8706 ... f-all-time

Przeginaja juz z tym Djokoviciem...

[sheva]

Novak Djokovic: Will the Serb Crumble Under All the Pressure?




Every sport has it's face. You don't have to be a basketball fan to know Kobe Bryant. You don't have to follow soccer to have heard of Cristiano Ronaldo. For many, many years, the face of tennis has been Roger Federer.

There's no doubt right now that Novak Djokovic is far and away the best player in the world, he has won three of this years' majors, and beaten Rafael Nadal six consecutive times.

Many people around the world are taking notice of the recently-crowned No. 1 player in the world. Many people having throwing around words to describe Nole's unreal year: dominating, unbelievable, greatest season ever and unstoppable.

Djokovic has handled all the talk extremely well, winning a major as the top-ranked player in the world, a feat that hadn't been accomplished since 1992. He did this with some ridiculously impressive victories, including winning an all-time classic, when he stormed back from two sets down, and then two match-points down to take down the mighty Federer.

What made the storyline even juicier is that the "Djoker" took out the very same player by pulling off a similar feat just 12 months prior.

However, the road is clearly not getting any easier for Nole. Now, it is clear he is the alpha-dog, the new face of tennis. When the sport tennis pops up, Novak Djokovic should come to mind first.

Due to his lofty status, every player on tour will be gunning for the Serb.

Starting in Melbourne, Australia, where Djokovic is the defending, all eyes have been on him. Last time he won a major, in 2008, he kind of stood under-the-radar until his breakout year in 2011.

His chief rival, Nadal, has followed both his dominating seasons (2008 and 2010) with sub-par ones (2009 and last year). Although Rafa's body is probably more to blame than a weak mental state, it was still very hard for Nadal to keep up the fantastic play he had during those two years.

Prior to this year, Djokovic was considered by his fellow players, as well as fans and journalists to still be an immature kid. During his great run at the 2007 US Open, he made many headlines by making hilarious impersonations of Nadal, Maria Sharapova and Andy Roddick.

This doesn't seem like someone ready to carry a sport's flag.

Since, though, he has completely turned his image around, and now he is ready to continue his dominance.

But, will such a young man be able to hold onto his spot for a long time?

The one word answer is "no." Clearly, many people in the tennis world have set the Serb's expectations for him; and they are outrageously high.

If Djokovic just thinks that now that he's No. 1 he can simply sit back and relax, then boy, is he wrong.

This is something that could easily happen to Djokovic. It started to appear a bit this summer, but he pulled it together when needed and took home the US Open.

Still, this could render matters worse. He will feel that at only 60-70 percent, he can still win majors.


That is not true at all.

He needs to take every match at an equal now, because if a player looks over his draw and spots the name Djokovic, his goal will be to get there, and stun the world. All guns are shooting towards Djokovic, and he needs to be fully concentrated to avoid the bullets.

A few big guns in particular will be shooting away. Nadal, the number two player, clearly wants to prove that he can play with Novak, who, as mentioned earlier, has taken six consecutive contests from the Spaniard. Roger Federer, wants to prove that he is not in the twilight of his career, and can still beat out Nole and win majors.

He has been working so hard, but with no room for error, and expectations of a repeat season very unrealistic, Djokovic will have to play better than last season to even hold onto his grasp on the rest of the tennis world.

Everyone has been underestimating Djokvic's counterparts, but he is still playing in a very strong era.

This isn't the only problem. Becoming an worldwide superstar is tough. Especially when it happens overnight. Everywhere a top athlete goes, all eyes are on them.

This may not seem like a big issue, but things pile up. So do tennis matches. And since the Serb has been playing deep into literally every tournament, he must be exhausted. The tennis off-season is less than adequate for good rest, and with injuries to three parts to his body, he needs all the time he can get.

It will be so, so hard for Nole to hold onto the top slot because of the insane number of points he is defending. Even though the top ranking isn't that important, it is still a good sign to see that No. 1 in front of your name.

For these reasons, Djokovic will have a very hard time to deal with everything going on around him, expect him to perform below what people think this upcoming year.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/8658 ... e-pressure

[Ranger]

Djokovic apologizes to Chinese fans for Beijing absence



Despite giving a misleading impression of fitness a week ago as he played in a charity football match in Belgrade, Novak Djokovic has made a clear apology to his fans as he misses this week's China Open in Beijing.

The absence of the world No. 1, who is still recovering from back and rib injuries suffered during his run to the US Open title, left the event to carry on with Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gael Monfils as the top two seeds in the field.

Djokovic said that while he could in fact play at football, testing his back on the tennis court was a problem. "My back injury, which is very particular, restrains me from rotating my upper body in serve motion.

"I'm not able to compete on the professional level," he Tweeted. "I tried to hit a couple of balls to test my body, but unfortunately, I still feel pain."

Djokovic tried to put in an effort last month for Serbia in a losing Davis Cup semifinal with Argentina, but had to be helped off the court as he quit a reverse singles rubber.

"For all of those people who have doubts: yes, I played football, and I had no problem with my injury there, but as soon as I started playing tennis and tried to serve, it just wasn't recovered enough for Beijing," Djokovic said.

"I'm working on my fitness, but I need more time and therapy to feel 100 percent ready to compete."

The proof of improvement will be if the Serb decides to play in next week's Shanghai Masters, which would require a flight form Serbia to China for an event already missing Roger Federer (resting).

Źródło: http://www.tennistalk.com/en/news/20111 ... ng_absence

[sheva]

Novak Djokovic signs Mercedes endorsement



The World No. 1 ranked Novak Djokovic has signed-up a sponsorship deal with German Mercedes Company, where he will be a new brand ambassador of the most prominent car manufacturer in the world.

The 2011 US Open champion Djokovic hopes to surpass 16-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer and World No. 2 Rafael Nadal in the endorsement. Djokovic said he is very excited to become an ambassador of the world’s leading automobile company. Mercedes has given a statement that, Company is proud to sing-up with a deal along with great sportsperson Novak Djokovic. Mercedes officials said Djokovic has raised his tennis level and leading sports players in this year and also won millions of hearts worldwide.

The four-time Grand Slam winner Djokovic also under contract with Serbian telecommunications company Telekom Srbija and German nutritional supplement brand FitLine. Serbian has became the brand ambassador for Swiss watch manufacturer Audemars Piguet in August, 2011 and also signed a ten year deal with the Italian clothing group Sergio Tacchini,

The World No. 2 Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are the other two leading tennis players in the endorsements. Spaniard, who has signed-up with Emporio Armani Jeans and Armani Underwear for the spring and summer collection and Nadal, is the first tennis player to work with in Armani shorts. Roger Federer is the other player, who had signed an endorsement by Mercedes-Benz China.

http://www.livetennisguide.com/2011/10/ ... dorsement/

[robpal]

Djokovic Withdraws From Shanghai Rolex Masters


Djokovic won his season record fifth ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title in Montreal.

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from next week’s Shanghai Rolex Masters with an abdominal muscle strain. “I am sorry not to be playing in Shanghai, one of my favourite tournaments, but I have not recovered yet from my injury,” Djokovic said. “I did another check this week and the results are not good so I need to continue my rehabilitation.”

The Serbian has enjoyed one of the finest seasons in history on the ATP World Tour, ascending to the top of the South African Airways ATP Rankings with an incredible 64-3 record. In addition to capturing Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and most recently, the US Open, Djokovic has claimed a season record five ATP World World Tour Masters 1000 crowns. He defeated Rafael Nadal in the Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid and Rome finals, and topped Mardy Fish in the title match at Montreal.

The event in Shanghai, held at the Qi Zhong Tennis Centre, debuted in 2009 and has since established itself as one of the premier tournaments on the ATP World Tour, earning the award for the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Tournament Of The Year as voted on by the players in its first two years of existence.

Djokovic reached the semi-finals in his first two Shanghai appearances and praised the tournament for its management. “Shanghai is doing a great job every year as one of the best organised tennis events in the world,” stated Djokovic. “I look forward to playing in Shanghai and meeting my Chinese fans in 2012."

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis ... train.aspx

[Sempere]

Djokovic doesn't regret Kosovo comments

Novak Djokovic tells Der Speigel that he does not regret sending a video message to Belgrade in 2008 when 150,000 of his compatriots were demonstrating against Kosovo's declaration of independence. Djokovic’s message, delivered after he won the Australian Open, said: "We are prepared to defend what is rightfully ours. Kosovo is Serbia."

That night, demonstrators threw stones at the Croatian, Bosnian and German embassies and set fire to the U.S. embassy.

Djokovic’s father was born in Kosovo, as were his uncle and his aunt. The Kosovo Albanians and Serbians dispute which populations have rightful claims on the land. "It is the birthplace of my family and, indeed, of Serbian culture itself," Djokovic said. "I don't regret what I did. We want justice, but we just can't get it."

http://www.tennis.com/articles/template ... &zoneid=25