Novak Djoković

[Ranger]

Djokovic headlines round of 16 play on Thursday



World No. 1 Novak Djokovic will continue his bid at the 2011 Swiss Indoors Basel, as he squares off against veteran qualifier Lukasz Kubot. The winner moves on to face Marcos Baghdatis in the quarterfinal.

Top seed Novak Djokovic holds a 4-0 series advantage over round of 16 opponent Lukasz Kubot. Thursday signals their second hard-court meeting.

Djokovic survived a tricky opening-round match, having held on to oust Belgian Xavier Malisse in three sets. The 24-year-old, back from a six-week layoff with back problems, came through the contest in two hours and 13 minutes, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5.

He is bidding for his 66th win of the 2011 season.

Kubot defeated fellow qualifier Tobias Kamke in the first round. The 29-year-old overcame a slow start, having rallied to secure the match in three, 5-7, 7-5, 6-2.

He looks to make his first hard-court quarterfinal of the year.

Prediction: Djokovic in straight sets.

Źródło: http://www.tennistalk.com/en/previews/2 ... n_Thursday

[Ranger]

SWISS INDOORS BASEL 2011

Former Champion Djokovic Beats Kubot For Baghdatis QF

World No. 1 and former champion Novak Djokovic cruised into the Swiss Indoors Basel quarter-finals on Thursday when he beat Polish qualifier Lukasz Kubot 6-1, 6-2 to set up a meeting with Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis.

Djokovic, the 2009 titlist (d. Federer) and 2010 runner-up, won the first set in 26 minutes, dropping just four of 20 points on serve and converting two of four break point opportunities. The 24-year-old Serbian lost five points in winning the first four games of the second set, before Kubot hit four winners to break Djokovic's streak of games. Minutes later, Djokovic improved to 4-0 lifetime against the World No. 64 with a hold to 15 to wrap up victory in 55 minutes.

He improved to a 66-3 match record on the season (42-2 on hard courts) and to 11-1 lifetime in Basel, an ATP World Tour 500 indoor tennis tournament. Djokovic has won 10 of his 28 tour-level titles this year.

Źródło: http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis ... s-QFs.aspx

[Ranger]

SWISS INDOORS BASEL 2011

Djokovic To Meet Nishikori In SFs



World No. 1 Novak Djokovic was forced to work for his 67th match win of the season on Friday when he extended his record to 5-0 against Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory for a place in the Swiss Indoors Basel semi-finals.

The 2009 champion won seven straight games for a 3-0 lead in the decider, breaking Baghdatis' serve for the first time in the sixth game of the second set. Baghdatis - the 2005 runner-up (l. to Gonzalez) - hit 12 aces and seven double faults, while Djokovic converted all three of his break point opportunities for victory in one hour and 39 minutes.

Djokovic will next face Japanese wild card Kei Nishikori, who advanced to his sixth tour-level semi-final (or better) this year, with a hard-fought 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 win over Kazakhstani lucky loser Mikhail Kukushkin in two hours and 40 minutes. World No. 32 Nishikori has a 35-20 season record, including a runner-up finish at the US Men's Clay Court Championship in Houston (l. to Sweeting).

"It's a great feeling to reach three semi-finals in six weeks," said Nishikori. "I knew it was going to be a tough week. Beating Tomas Berdych in the first round and getting to the semi-finals has been a great experience.

"Djokovic is playing unbelievable this year. He doesn't have many weaknesses, so I will need to play a bit more aggressive than usual and play my best tennis to beat him."

Źródło: http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis ... F-Set.aspx

[DUN I LOVE]

Djoković wygrał dziś swój 67 (3 porażki) mecz w tym roku i objął samodzielne przodownictwo w tej statystyce. Wyprzedził Rafę Nadala (66 wygranych spotkań).

[DUN I LOVE]

2011: Czwarta porażka Djokovicia.



Lider męskich rozgrywek poniósł dziś 4 porażkę w tym roku. Po Federerze, Murrayu, del Potro, tym razem jego pogromcą okazał się Kei Nishikori. Pomimo porażki 24-letni Serb ma fantastyczny bilans gier w tym roku: 67-4.

[Joao]

Careful not to tarnish your season, Djoker

by Peter Bodo

Imagine for a moment that you are a New England Patriot (if you can stand that), and you just went 14-2 in the regular season and knocked off the Pittsburgh Steelers and defending champion Green Bay Packers to win the Super Bowl.

"OK," Bill Belichick tells you in the locker room right after the big game. "Don't let this win distract you. You've got the Colts next week, and you can't take them lightly."

That's roughly the position Novak Djokovic is in as he rounds the turn and comes into the home stretch of the tennis year. He's done all the heavy lifting -- he won three of the four Grand Slam titles (the only titles that matter to the general sports audience), a feat surpassed in a single year by only two men in tennis history, Don Budge and Rod Laver.

Djokovic also ripped the No. 1 ranking out of Rafael Nadal's hands. He amassed one of the longest winning streaks ever (43 matches), and his winning percentage for the year is right up among the all-time best. Did I mention that he's 10-1 against the only two men (Nadal and some guy named Federer) who have held the No. 1 ranking since Andy Roddick finished on top in 2003?

But the year isn't done yet, and some of the luster of his 2011 might be dimmed should Djokovic do poorly or even merely well in his final three events: Basel (where he's through two rounds), the Paris Indoors Masters and the ATP World Tour Finals --the last event on the ATP calendar.

You could hardly blame Djokovic if he's walking around muttering, "What more do I need to do?" It must seem like that absurdly brief offseason that begins in early December is light years away. And on top of that, he's playing his way back into form because a back injury (which he's described as the worst of his career) has kept him from playing a competitive match since mid-September.

Back injuries tend to be momentum stoppers, but I bet you knew that.

You can say that all the players among the elite who have posted .900 or better winning percentages in a single year (John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg, Ivan Lendl and Roger Federer -- pretty good company for Djokovic) have faced and surmounted the same challenge. Djokovic should have to do it, too, if he wants to be talked about in the same breath.

True enough, which is why it's going to be interesting to see if the No. 1 from Serbia can make a final push this year. I don't believe any of his peers in that .900 club took as long a break as Djokovic has since back problems accounted for the most recent loss in his exceptional 64-3 record of 2011 (that was in the Davis Cup semifinals, the weekend after Djokovic won the U.S. Open).

Djokovic looked rusty in his first match in Basel the other day, but he righted himself Wednesday with a comprehensive beatdown of Poland's Lukasz Kubot -- the ATP equivalent of the 2011 Indianapolis Colts. But some considerably more menacing rivals await, and many of them will be hoping to exact a little payback. I imagine that Nadal, against whom Djokovic was 6-0 this year, is at the head of that long line. Although they couldn't meet until the ATP World Tour Finals after Nadal pulled out of Paris.

It must seem like an entirely different year for Djokovic, or like he's just awakened from a dream, instead of merely a dream year that ought to be over.

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

[Ranger]

Novak Djokovic: Why His Loss in Basel Is No Big Deal



It is expected, unfortunately, that after Novak Djokovic’s loss to Kei Nishikori in the semifinal of Basel, a bunch of speculations and dramatic reviews will start coming up regarding the future of the Serbian.

It will not be surprising if people even start questioning absurd things like whether or not he is good enough to be the No. 1 player in the world.

“Couch Potato” analysts and fans should know that what happened is completely normal. It might even be expected.

Tennis is a tough sport and the single elimination system is brutal. Tournaments are set up for people to lose! Every week only one player does not lose, everybody else does.

It is very hard to keep the level of play that the Serbian is showing in 2011. The game is physically brutal and demanding on the body. Even the great ones feel it.

The result is probably the best for Nishikori so far in his career and the Japanese player has all the right to celebrate. It is only fair.

But the fact of the matter is that this match has little or no importance to Novak Djokovic. Nothing changes for the Serbian: he is still the best player in the world and will be at year-end.

This defeat shouldn’t affect his upcoming tournaments either. He will probably bounce back and perform well in Paris and London.

It is important that people and fans understand how tennis works. As mentioned above, players do lose.

It is tough to play week in, week out at the highest level. This defeat, although unexpected and to a lower ranked player is to be considered normal. “Not normal” is all the success the Serbian had this year so far!

One of the greatest lessons professional players need to learn is how to deal with losses, because they do happen. One of the signs of greatness is how well a player can deal with them.

As the historic sign at Wimbledon center court says, on the players’ way from the locker rooms to the sacred grass: “If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two imposters just the same…”

Źródło: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/9263 ... o-big-deal

[Ranger]

Djokovic to delay Paris decision as long as possible



Novak Djokovic looks to be waiting as long as possible to decide if he should risk playing the Paris Masters after re-injuring his right shoulder in a Basel loss.

The world No. 1 had only returned after six weeks away, but felt the effects of his shoulder in a semi-final loss to Kei Nishikori.

"My shoulder is very bad, I have a lot of pain in my body from the competition this week. I hope I can be ready for Paris," said the winner of 10 titles this season, whose run of luck ended when he was helped off the court in September Davis Cup play with the back problem he called the worst of his career.

Djokovic was heading off to Paris to see how he goes. "I don't think I'll be able to train for the next few days," he confessed, adding: "I'll decide later about playing."

The Serb said he'd been in pain from the start of Basel and was tested heavily in a first-round win over Xavier Malisse, which marked a return of the shoulder injury which had forced him to quit the summer Cincinnati final against Andy Murray a week before the start of the US Open.

"I could barely serve for much of the match, I was in pain," he said of his Basel loss.

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

[Joao]

Mettle Fatigue?

Spoiler:

by Pete Bodo

The ATP 500s are the poor relatives in the family of tennis tournaments. Can you name half-a-dozen ATP 500 events? Probably not. Do you know how many there are on the calendar? How do the ranking points you earn for winning a 500 event compare with the points distribution for a Masters Series 1000 tournament?

Well, I won't bother to tick off the names of six 500 events, but will say I find it odd that there are only 11 of them on the calendar, and that winning one earns you just 100 points fewer than you get for being a finalist in one of the elite Masters events. Add up the prestigious Grand Slam events, the nine Masters 1000s, the 11 500s and throw in the year-end ATP championships and you still have far fewer events than the whopping 42 ATP 250s that flesh out the calendar.

The 250s are the lifeblood of the tour, but they're really for players far down on the food chain. David Ferrer played a grand total of three 250s this year. Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal played just two. Novak Djokovic took part in just one (a tournament he happened to invent, in his home town of Belgrade, Serbia) and Roger Federer played only the Doha 250. The 250s pay sanctioned appearance fees, but so do the 500s, which is why they are a much more powerful magnet for top players.

Well, the 250s are finished for the year, and the 500s will leave the stage tomorrow with the finals in Basel and Valencia. The first 500 of the year was won by Robin Soderling (Rotterdam) and the last one may go to Kei Nishikori (although it's unlikely, because he plays Roger Federer in the Basel final), or to Marcel Granollers or Juan Monaco, who will contest the Valencia final. Before we leave the theme, let's take a quick look at how the 500s played out this year.

Curiously, nobody won more than one 500 event, while Nadal, Djokovic and Murray all won more than one Masters 1000 (with only eight of the nine already played). The winners of the 500s were, starting in February in Rotterdam, Robin Soderling, Andy Roddick, Djokovic, Ferrer, Nadal, Gilles Simon, Radek Stepanek, Tomas Berdych and Murray (you can find the events and dates here). Murray, Djokovic and Nadal are the only three men who pulled off a double, winning at least one 1000 and one 500.

None of those 500 winners are in either final tomorrow, so we'll have a different winner for each 500 tournament of the year, which is a little surprising. And the list is a solid one, Stepanek and perhaps Simon the only names that might cause you to raise an eyebrow.

Well, one name that is sure to appear on the list of 500 winners tomorrow will certainly be unexpected. Juan Monaco and Marcel Granollers have won a combined five singles titles over the years (three by Monaco), all of them ATP 250s—and all of them on outdoor clay, not the indoor hard on which they'll meet on Sunday. Each of them got to the final bracket the hard way—Granollers had to go through former U.S. Open champ Juan Martin del Potro, while Monaco halted David Ferrer's 14-match Valencia winning streak. The finalists are bound to be sky high and ready to pull out all the stops, because Valencia would be a career win for either of them.

But most of the hype today emanated from Basel, and it's likely that the boldest headlines will be written there on Sunday—if Nishikori beats Federer. But if Federer wins, it will be the first title for him since the very first event of his year, the 250 in Doha. More important, it probably would give the Swiss, now No. 3, a much-needed shot of pride and a lift that could make him a dangerous man at the Paris Masters and at the WTF in London.

Should Federer win, you can see where he might forget the trophy back in the hotel room when he checks out. Or you could, it this weren't the Basel event. Federer has always taken pride in winning what is in essence his hometown title; he's done it four times already and shows no sign of getting sick of the feeling. It's hard to imagine him losing to Nishikori, who pulled off a remarkable upset of Djokovic in the semifinals—although it appears that Djokovic was playing with a bum shoulder for much of the match.

After swarming all over Nishikori to lead, 5-1, Djokovic was broken and promptly called the first of his two injury time-outs; he took another one to receive treatment during the second set, and ended up losing the third without winning a game. The upset by Nishikori may have ruined things for fans salivating over a Djokovic vs. Federer final in a year when Federer stopped Djokovic's winning streak at 42 matches, and Djokovic stopped Federer's streak of eight straight years with at least one Grand Slam title (and Djokovic did it while staring down two match points in the U.S. Open semifinals). But I have a feeling that Federer will get a better night's sleep knowing his opponent tomorrow will be Nishikori.

The loss to Nishikori was Djokovic's fourth of the year, and the third one in which his fitness emerged as the dominant issue. Federer inflicted the first loss Djokovic suffered this year, without qualification, in the semis of the French Open. Djokovic did not lose again until he retired while trailing Murray in the final of Cincinnati. And then a week after he won the U.S. Open, Djokovic had to quit during a Davis Cup clash with del Potro.

After he lost to Nishikori, Djokovic avowed that the pain in his shoulder (it was the same one that caused him to concede the Cincy final to Murray) was "pretty bad." It was unclear whether or not he would be able to play in the final Masters event next week in Paris. The iron man of the first six months is showing signs of metal fatigue—or is it mettle fatigue. Either would be understandable.

The repercussions of Djokovic's injury could be significant in light of the tight race for the final three berths (of eight) for the ATP World Tour Finals. The contenders for the final spot are Tomas Berdych, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Mardy Fish, Juan Martin del Potro, Nicolas Almagro, Gael Monfils, Gilles Simon and Janko Tipsarevic. Among them, Berdych, Tsonga and Fish are currently sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively. In order for the others to have a chance, they will have to make the final in Paris (some would have to win it) and have a few other things work out in order to slip in. Having Djokovic out of the way in Bercy would certainly improve the chances of all those outsiders.

Right now, though, I'll bet Djokovic would be sorely tempted to give one of those contenders his spot in the WTF and call it a year. Who could blame him?

http://blogs.tennis.com/tennisworld/2011/11/tk-1.html

[Joao]

Pull the Plug, Novak

Spoiler:

Pete Bodo

As I write this, Novak Djokovic's participation in the last two events of the year, the Paris Indoors and the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals in London, remains in doubt. My guess is that he's out of Paris for sure, and doing a cost-benefit analysis of skipping the season finale as well.

Djokovic can afford to miss both, given his whopping lead in the rankings—he has roughly 50 percent more points than No. 2 Rafael Nadal, which is nothing short of remarkable. The No. 3, Andy Murray, has issues: mainly that he can't (or hasn't) win a major. And even though No. 4 Roger Federer was twice within one swing of his racquet—or one miss by Djokovic—of knocking the Serb out of the U.S. Open, much as he had bounced Djokovic out of the French Open, the celebrated Swiss has won just two events this year (neither of them a major or Masters 1000), and is so far behind Djokovic in the rankings points race that you needn't bother doing the math.

So my advice to Djokovic in light of recent events is somewhat heretical: Go ahead and pull the plug on 2011. It will be an extremely short off-season if you do not, and you don't even want to know what you will have to defend come the dawning of 2012. Literally, there will be nowhere to go but down.

Djokovic lost the fourth match of his landmark year a few days ago in Basel, to the tough Japanese digger, Kei NIshikori. Djokovic started with a bang, leaping to a 5-1 advantage, but was soon receiving treatment for a bum right shoulder—the same shoulder, incidentally, that caused him to abandon the Cincinnati final to Andy Murray (his second loss of 2011) in August. Not to be confused with the bad back that forced Djokovic to retire during his Davis Cup tussle with Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina in September.

I don't much like weighing the importance of injuries in specific matches; I prefer the old Aussie maxim, "If you're fit enough to step on court to play a match, you're not injured." I'm also a realist, and know that players often play hurt, and lose because they're hurt. But it's almost impossible to quantify the degree to which an injury affects the outcome of a match. Djokovic lost the third set to Nishikori, 6-0. About all I feel comfortable saying is that it sure didn't look like the Djokovic to whom we've grown accustomed.

Djokovic's present situation is, well, extraordinary. Absorbing just four losses by this stage in any year is a remarkable feat; only Federer, Jimmy Connors, and John McEnroe have done that (in fact, McEnroe lost just three in his record year of 1984). The mind-blowing part is that injury may well have played a significant role in three of those losses. The percentage of losses Djokovic suffered this year due to retirement (in addition to any other factor) is a whopping 50 percent. That's one record that, should it remain unchanged, will never be broken.

The situation also suggests that Djokovic's remarkable run in 2011 has left him with too little left in the tank, physically and perhaps even emotionally, to play it out. It would be a pity to see Djokovic quit. It would be even worse to see him retire yet again, or lose two or more matches this year because he's not fit. Remember, the World Tour Finals is a round-robin event; he could lose three matches there alone.

Some critics will undoubtedly scoff and say that showing the white flag would be a downer. Others might suggest that the present situation reminds them nothing more than early Djokovic—the young Gluten-woffing guy who sometimes seemed a borderline hypochondriac with his relentless and assorted injuries and allergies. Up to and including the U.S. Open, Djokovic made a persuasive case for having re-invented himself as an iron man, thanks to coping with his allergies and the benefits of his gluten-free diet. But did he run his body into ruin just because he could, taking a giddy emotional, mental and physical ride that was as unsustainable as it was brillliant? It can happen, you know. Horses have been known to run themselves to death. Did Djokovic become . . . too fit?

We don't really know the answer to that. Djokovic and his camp may not know it, either. McEnroe, Connors, Federer and others have been able to sustain comparable levels of excellence through the entire year, playing more matches than Djokovic is on track to log. But everyone is different, and the circumstances and conditions are all unique.

At this point it's fair to wonder if the "new" Novak Djokovic can really be as different from the old, as he seemed to be for most of 2011. It would be unfair and callous to second-guess the nature or degree of Djokovic's injuries and ailments, but there's nothing wrong with contemplating another option at this crossroads. Maybe Novak should pack it in before he does himself serious damage, or finds himself looking at a very short off-season and an impossibly long 2012.

http://blogs.tennis.com/tennisworld/2011/11/tj.html

[robpal]

Shoulder injury could bring end to Novak Djokovic's season

NOVAK Djokovic's dream season could be at risk of ending on a low note after he revealed injury played a big part in his fourth loss of the year.

The world No.1 went down 2-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-0 on Saturday to Japan's Kei Nishikori in the semi-finals of the Swiss Indoors.

Djokovic said he had been playing all week with a sore shoulder similar to the injury which forced him to quit the Cincinnati final in August against Andy Murray before the US Open.

"I could barely serve for much of the match, I was in pain," said the Serb, who has won ten titles in 2011 but only returned this week after six weeks out with a back injury.

"My shoulder is very bad, we won't even talk about the third set.

"I have a lot of pain in my body from the competition this week. I hope I can be ready for Paris."

That Masters event starts on Monday, with Djokovic now in serious doubt of fronting up.

He said he is likely to travel to the city and hope for the best.

"I don't think I'll be able to train for the next few days."

Djokovic said that his gruelling first-round win over Xavier Malisse on Tuesday could have set the tone for the rest of the week.

"It was a shock to the body," he said of the opening struggle.

"Competition is different to practise.

"I may have forced things too much I was feeling afraid of the shoulder and what might happen to it."

Nishikori, ranked 32nd and a semi-finalist last month at the Shanghai Masters, will play four-time champion Roger Federer or Stanislas Wawrinka for his second career title.

Djokovic received treatment twice during the match on his shoulder and was barely present in the third set, which Nishikori swept through.

Nishikori, 21, has exploded into form in the past few months in Asia and Europe.

The Djokovic match was his third semi-final in four tournaments and he now has beaten four top 10 players in his career.

Nishikori won the 71-minute marathon second set with seven unforced errors while Djokovic's errors mounted to a massive 18 in the set.

It was all Nishikori in the third.

"I played well from the second set," said the Japanese winner.

"I got my rhythm and hit some unbelievable shots.

"After Shanghai (where he beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga) I've felt different with my game. I'm playing differently, more solid from the baseline and not making any stupid errors."

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/tenni ... 6186951245

[sheva]

Djokovic needs to learn how to lose



It has been such a sensational year for Novak Djokovic that he has only suffered four defeats - and three of them have come while "injured".

The latest was the most surprising as he was beaten 2-6 7-6 6-0 by Japanese youngster Kei Nishikori in the semi-finals in Basel just last weekend.

Djokovic was in cruise control during the opening set but then, after being broken while serving for it, the Serb called out the trainer for treatment on a shoulder injury.

There was no doubt that Djokovic was hurt - you could see it in his body language - but after having some gel rubbed into his shoulder he came out and broke Nishikori to take the opening set 6-2.

In the second set Djokovic's injury clearly diminished the quality of his play and not everything was finding the radar. Nishikori upped his game considerably too, and a real contest developed. Nishikori managed to break to go 2-3 up, but Djokovic fought back... and when he made it 4-4 he did this.

That is clearly the picture of a man who, while certainly hurting, was up for the battle, eager to win and move into the final (where he would have to play another match).

However, over the next few games something happened that has not happened to Djokovic much this season: he was outplayed.

Nishikori showed tremendous movement, excellent shot-making and, exploiting the errors that Djokovic was still making, went on to win the set 7-4 in a tie-break - and deservedly so.

What happened next was what upset Tramlines the most - Djokovic just gave up.

Nothing appeared to happen to worsen his injury from the end of the first to the end of the second set, but when the third set came along he simply wasn't interested.

There were times when Nishikori was able to fire winners past Djokovic with the Serb standing motionless, making no attempt to move towards the ball.

Djokovic may have hurt his shoulder in the match but there was nothing wrong with his legs, which made his lack of effort disrespectful.

There is an element of 'damned if you do, and damned if you don't' about retiring during a tennis match. If you quit, people will criticise; if you continue without putting in the effort, you will be similarly blasted.

However, Djokovic was clearly trying to win during the second set. Just look at that fist-pump. He wanted to move into the final and face Roger Federer in his own backyard - but then when things didn't go his way, he decided to pack it in.

It was an unfair course of action and puts an unwarranted asterix next to Nishikori's fantastic victory. People will dismiss the significance of the 21-year-old's win by saying: 'Oh, but Djokovic was injured - just look at how he played in the final set'... but that is unfair because Nishkori managed to outsmart and outplay a hungry and determined Djokovic in the second set.

We have been here before with Djokovic. The Djoker is all smiles and jokes when he is winning and people lap it up, but often when he is losing his body language becomes petulant and self-pitying and it is amazing how often his injuries seem to crop up when things are not going his way.

Djokovic is such an outstanding player - the best in the world by some distance at the moment - but a little bit more humility when things are not going his own way will do his legacy no harm.

The greatest sportsmen don't just win with class, they lose with honour.

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/tennis/tr ... icle/5084/

Ostro

[Ranger]

Why Even Injured, Djokovic Hasn't Withdrawn from Paris Bercy Masters



Even with a bad injury to the shoulder. Novak Djokovic decided to play in Paris Bercy Masters. And that, just 10 days before the ATP World Tour Finals in London.

A weird decision from World N1, as a little rest would probably help him recover and get to London in a good shape.

Well, that would be a very good sports decision. But things are a little different. In fact a little tradition may be the reason why Novak Djokovic decided to play in France :

Traditionally, after Paris-Bercy Masters, a bonus check of $2 million is offered to World N1 (if that player has played at least eight masters 1000 during the year). Djokovic has already missed Shanghai Masters, and needs Paris to make it eight (and get the money).

So yes, if his injury is really bad, Novak will probably lose in the 2nd round (as seeded, he doesn't play first round), but he'll get the money. The records can wait, and "Super (rich) Novak" has already won in Bercy in 2009.

Źródło: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/9298 ... cy-masters

[jaccol55]

Djokovic faces $1.6 million Paris dilemma


Injured Novak Djokovic stands to lose $1.6 million in ATP bonus pool money if he fails to play at this week's Paris Masters.

The top seed has until his Wednesday opening match against Croatian Ivan Dodig, a 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 first-round winner over Fabio Fognini, to decide if fitness or finances will prevail.

But fellow multi-millionaire and fourth-ranked rival Roger Federer hinted on Tuesday that the potential massive loss of income might actually mean little in the grand scheme to the most successful player of the season.

"It's a good problem to have, right, he's already made 10 million bucks (on court) this year," said Federer, whose own earnings in what for him is a modest season total $3.8 million and counting from prize money.

"Look, it's up to him, really.

"Is money everything? Clearly not. Clearly helps, but I think he's made so much this year it shouldn't matter."

Djokovic, winner of ten titles in 2011, is facing a shoulder injury dilemma after losing only his fourth match of 2011 in last weekend's Basel semi-finals to Kei Nishikori,
ADVERTISEMENT

As the world number one, the Serb is entitled to $2 million from year-end bonus pool monies. But he has already lost $400,000 of that amount by failing to play Shanghai - back injury - one of eight obligatory Masters 1000 events for top players.

And, under the rules, should he miss Paris - his second Masters absence - his $1.6 million would shrink to nil.

"It's his decision if he wants to put the racquet on the line or not," said Federer, who won Basel and is ultra-fit after autumn injury time off.

"It's unfortunate that he would miss out on the bonus pool.

"(On the) money: Would he deserve it? Maybe, yes, because he's fulfilled a lot of commitments this year and it's been wonderful for the tour.

"But unfortunately, we do have these rules in place, and they need to be followed for any player, also for world number one.

"I don't know how that all works out, but he's clearly been great for the game, especially this year with all his records. I hope it's all gonna work out for all parties."

Federer was getting in a Tuesday training session prior to his Wednesday start against Frenchman Adrian Mannarino.

The event is one of the few where the Swiss 16-time grand slam winner does not own a title, standing 10-8 at the venue with his last match a semi-final loss to Gael Monfils a year ago.

"No doubt I'd love to win here in indoors, I"ve attended this tournament many times by now, and it's true I have never made it to the finals," said Federer.

"I don't want to say it's a surprise, I play very good indoors. Indoors was always the surface where I thought I played best.

"Not to make the finals here with all the success is almost a bit disappointing, to be quite honest."

http://sports.yahoo.com/tennis/news?slu ... a_20111108

[Barty]

Long season catching up with Djokovic



Serbia's Novak Djokovic returns the ball to Croatia's Ivan Dodig during the Paris Masters I have just watched Novak Djokovic beat Ivan Dodig in the second round of the Paris Masters and it has left me more confused than ever about his current state of fitness.

After watching the last set against Kei Nishikori in Basel I was left with the opinion that Djokovic might just be played out for the season. There seemed to be such a complete dismantlement of his game in that final set when he lost 6-0.

How much of this was down to the shoulder and how much was a matter of motivation is hard to tell, but I suspect it might have been more of an accumulative thing.

What we have just seen in Paris makes it all the harder to read the current situation, but my gut feeling is that Djokovic is just not the same player at the moment that he was at, say, the US Open.

Can he rediscover his best form before the ATP Tour Finals? I have my deep suspicions. Will he win the tournament here in Paris? I very much doubt it.

However, it wasn't a bad performance against Dodig and it made what happened against Nishikori, certainly the extent of it, a little bit questionable because he really looked finished by the end of that match.

After seeing what happened in Basel, I must admit that I was a little surprised that he decided to play in France, although I'm sure the £1 million bonus helped.

I'll stick with my theory though that he could just be a little played out, and even the enticing prospect of the ATP Tour Finals at the O2 might not be enough to rescue him.

I expect Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to beat in him in the Paris quarter-finals if the Frenchman is on form, and then I expect Djokovic to be beaten a couple of times next week in London.

I might be utterly wrong because if he feels okay and gets the motivation right, then he very easily could win out for the rest of the year in this most momentous of seasons for him - but I suspect he won't.

One thing I would not criticise Djokovic for is playing for the bonus. Even for someone like him, who has won nearly £7m this season, that is an awful lot of money and I can understand him playing. I think every player would do the same.

I really don't think the issue is the back or the shoulder but rather that he has just had a long, long season.

Good on him for fighting past Dodig though. It would have been very easy for him to go out there, play a few games, retire after the first set and collect his money - but he didn't do that. He tried, and not just that, he played well.

I feel though he will come into trouble if he faces the likes of Tsonga, Andy Murray or Roger Federer this week, while I also think the surface doesn't suit him. It is very slow.

Hopefully the only thing Djokovic needs to do now is rest up and he will be back his dizzying 2011 highs again when the season restarts in 2012. However there is some precedent to say that things might not be so easy.

One of my great friends in tennis is Mats Wilander; in 1988 he enjoyed a season that, while not quite at the same level as Djokovic's year this time out, was not too far from it either - he won three Majors and finished the season as world number one.

When he came back the following year though he just didn't have it in him - he had achieved everything he wanted to achieve. He went on to play at a high level for another two or three years but mentally he was spent.

It has taken Djokovic a lot to get to where he is today, but I don't expect his amazingly glorious 2011 peak to last.

He is still going to be a player competing for and winning Grand Slams, but the law of averages shows that when players have these great years, they then struggle to replicate them. John McEnroe had one, Mats had one, and neither were quite the same player afterwards.

To expect Djokovic to have anything like the season he has had this year next time out is to live in a fantasy land - and it could be that we have seen the best of Novak Djokovic.

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/tennis/si ... icle/7942/

[Alan]

Paris Masters - Victorious Djokovic picks up £1m



Novak Djokovic moved into the third round of the Paris Masters with a 6-4 6-3 win over Ivan Dodig, picking up a £1 million bonus in the process.

The world number one just needed to turn up to pick up his bonus for competing in all-but-one of this year's Masters Series events - excluding Monte Carlo, for which attendance is not mandatory - and the Serb shrugged off fitness worries that saw him miss Shanghai and lose to Kei Nishikori in Basel to trounce the unseeded Croat without breaking a sweat.

Djokovic unleashed the key shots at important moments, playing one of the shots of the week - through the legs from the baseline - after a Dodig lob seemed to catch him out at one of the few half-chances the world number 39 had to break his opponent.

"I wasn't really confident I would compete here," Djokovic - who has suffered from shoulder and back pains recently - said afterwards. "I wasn't able to be at my best today but the pain was okay and I will be able to compete.

"Probably because of the experiences I have had, the approach of the world of sport towards me has changed and I have to manage this."

The £1m bonus came about from ATP rule that states the world number one is entitled to a $2m bonus for competing in the eight specified Masters tournaments, dropping to $1.6m if he skips one and zero if he misses two or more.

http://eurosport.yahoo.com/09112011/58/ ... derer.html

[sheva]

http://www.fakt.pl/Uderzyl-dziennikarza ... 572,1.html

Trochę żałosne...

[Ranger]

Djokovic says money not his motivator



The possibility of missing out on a $1.6 million bonus payout was not a worry for Novak Djokovic after the Serb overcame what had looked to be a serious shoulder injury at the weekend.

Djokovic came up as the winner in his opening match at the Paris Masters.

"It was really somehow funny for me," said the top seed. "I even heard that I would get on the court and play a game just to get this money."

Under ATP rules, had he not put racquet to ball for at least one point in his second-round opening match with Ivan Dodig - Djokovic assured that with an ace on his opening point - the Serb would have forfeited his entire $1.6 million bonus. The amount had already diminished from $2 million for skipping the Shanghai Masters last month due to back pain.

But this season's $10 million man might have a slightly different perspective on his year-end bonus than most. "This is ridiculous," he said of speculation that he played to save his payday. "We are all athletes, this is our job.

"We‘re all playing to be paid at one stage, this is normal. I don't see what's unusual in that. I came here because I want to compete. If I know that I'm physically good enough, in good condition to be competing, I will compete."

"If I don't, I will not compete. It's as simple as that. There is nothing else that can affect my decision.

"It's obvious that I'm still not top of my game. I‘m taking things quite slowly, knowing that the form will improve each day that I play."

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

[sheva]

Tsonga: Djokovic not as great as Roger or Rafa



World number one Novak Djokovic still has some way to go before he can boast the same aura Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal have on the circuit, according to Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Tsonga, one of the few players with a positive head-to-head record against Djokovic, will face the Serb in the quarter-finals of the Paris Masters with nothing to lose after already clinching his place in the ATP World Tour finals in London.

"For the moment he has less aura than Roger and Rafa," Tsonga, who has a 5-4 record against Djokovic and has never lost indoors against him, told reporters after a 6-3 6-4 victory over Italy's Andreas Seppi on Thursday.

"(He has less aura) because of the number of victories in grand slams, but also the others were at the top for many years, even if Novak had a very good year this year.

"So he's quite far from what the others achieved. His career is not as complete and his position on the tour is not as historical."

Tsonga said he is relishing another clash with Djokovic who he beat on the way to winning the Paris Masters title in 2008.

"Whatever happens, he plays great. When I'm on that court, I have nothing to lose against him," the sixth seed said.

"That way I'm thinking when I go onto the court against him he has more to lose than I do. So I always go to try to play my best tennis, and I'm sure it is the reason why every time I play against him I play my best tennis.

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/10112011/ ... -rafa.html

[robpal]

BNP PARIBAS MASTERS 2011
Djokovic Pulls Out Of Paris


Novak Djokovic won the Paris title in 2009.

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic pulled out of the BNP Paribas Masters on Friday morning due to a right shoulder injury. It means France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the 2008 champion, gets a walkover into the semi-finals of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament in Paris.

"I am very sorry for the tournament and the fans in Paris but my right shoulder is hurting again after winning my first two matches here," said Djokovic, who won the 2009 title.

"The doctors have advised that I should rest my shoulder and start treatment as soon as possible. I look forward to returning to the court in London and competing at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals."

Djokovic has a 69-4 match record on the season and a 10-1 record in title matches, including three Grand Slam championships and five ATP World Tour Masters 1000 trophies.

He will lead the elite field at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London, which begins at The O2 on 20 November.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis ... s-Out.aspx