Novak Djokovic, who described himself as “rusty,” stated that his victory over China’s Zhang Zhizhen in straight sets was a strong start to the summer season. He believes that he will improve even more before the Australian Open.
On Sunday evening, Djokovic defeated Zhang with a score of 6-3, 6-2 in 72 minutes, giving Serbia a 1-0 lead against China in the United Cup tie in Perth. World No 15 Qinwen Zheng then evened the score at 1-1 with a 6-4, 6-2 victory against world No 119 Olga Danilović in the women’s singles. In the deciding mixed doubles match, Djokovic and Danilović joined forces and ultimately won 6-4, 1-6, 10-6 (in a match tiebreak) just a few minutes before midnight, securing a 2-1 win for Serbia.
If Serbia beats the Czech Republic on Tuesday, they will advance to the quarter-finals.
Zhang initially showed strong resistance in the singles match at RAC Arena on Sunday night, utilizing his powerful serves to keep Djokovic at bay. However, in the second set, Djokovic’s full strength was unleashed and Zhang was unable to keep up. With his quick movement and strong groundstrokes, Djokovic wore down Zhang, ultimately winning the match with a 4-0 lead in the second set.
“I was initially a bit out of form. For the first five to six games, I struggled to find my tempo and rhythm,” Djokovic commented. “But it’s to be expected when you haven’t played a competitive match in over a month. It takes some time to get back into the groove. My opponent was serving strongly and had nothing to lose. However, after breaking his serve at 3-2 in the first set, I felt the momentum shift in my favor.”
Novak Djokovic, who hopes to secure his 11th Australian Open victory this season, is content with his current level of fitness. He stated, “I am still working on strengthening my body and improving my form for Melbourne.” Djokovic emphasized that he wants to be at full strength for the Australian Open, but is pleased with his performance during the first week and hopes to continue progressing in the right direction.
Djokovic stated that his mentality of always striving for success and setting ambitious goals is what motivates him to achieve unprecedented levels. He explained that this mindset has developed over time and may be viewed as impractical or conceited by some, but it is what drives him.
I have always had a strong belief in myself. I am confident in my abilities as a well-rounded player. When I am in top physical form and performing at my best, I have the potential to win any major tournament. I am not afraid to admit this. It is no secret that I have a desire to break more records and leave a mark in the history of the game. This goal continues to drive and inspire me.
Djokovic has participated in four Olympic Games. His greatest achievement was winning a bronze medal in 2008. He is determined to vie for Olympic success at the upcoming Paris Games.
He expressed his desire to win another medal for Serbia in the Olympics and sees it as a top goal for the year. Having been in similar situations throughout his career, he understands what it takes to keep his body, mind, and spirit in the best condition to set records and push beyond his limits.
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Australia’s chances of advancing to the quarter-finals depend on their upcoming match against the defending champions, the USA, as the Americans secured a 2-1 win against Great Britain. The British team initially took the lead in their Sunday match against the US, with Katie Boulter defeating world No 5 Jessica Pegula 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.
Taylor Fritz, ranked 10th in the world, will play against Alex de Minaur on Monday evening. He evened the score for the American team by defeating Cameron Norrie 7-6 (7-5), 6-4. Fritz and Pegula also won the mixed doubles match against Boulter and Neal Skupski with a 1-6, 7-6, 10-7 (match tiebreak) victory.
Australia, who lost 2-1 to Britain in the first round of the tournament, will need to win all three matches against the US on Monday in order to secure a spot in the quarter-finals. If they win 2-1, the qualifiers will be determined by set wins in the matches between the three teams. However, a loss will result in Australia being eliminated from the tournament.
Source: theguardian.com
