Djokovic has change of heart
A day after criticising newlylaunched ATP Cup, Serbian ace comes out in support of tourney
LONDON: Novak Djokovic has backed a new men’s team competition from 2020 just a day after he had raised serious concerns over the timing of the event, which will take place shortly after the revamped Davis Cup.
The ATP Cup, announced by the ATP and Tennis Australia on Thursday during the ATP Finals in London, will be played across three Australian cities over 10 days in the lead-up to the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year, which starts in January.
It will offer $15 million in prize money and up to 750 ATP Rankings points to the winners. “I like that it’s owned by ATP, by the players, and that we have ranking points, and it’s going to be the best way to kickstart the season,” said world No 1 Djokovic.
“More than 90 percent of the time we’re playing as individuals and we don’t have too many team events,” he said. “This is going to bring together a lot of nations and for me personally it will be a very nice and proud moment to represent my country.”
Djokovic, who is president of the ATP player council, had said on Wednesday that having two similar team tournaments so close together would not be sustainable, expressing concerns over the length of the tennis season. “I think in the next two years we’ll have both events happening in a very similar format if not the same, six weeks apart,” he said. “I honestly don’t think it’s good for the sport... It will happen that we will have two average events.”
ZVEREV SAYS LENGTH OF SEASON IS ‘RIDICULOUS’
Alexander Zverev labelled the length of the tennis season “ridiculous” after appearing to run out of steam against Novak Djokovic at the ATP Finals on Wednesday.
The 21-year-old German was playing his 74th Tour match of the season and after staying with the world No 1 for nine games he collapsed to a 6-4, 6-1 defeat.
“The issue is that our season is way too long. That’s the issue. But I’ve said it before,” Zverev, whose 55 match wins this year is more than any other player, said.
“We play for 11 months a year. That’s ridiculous. No other professional sport does that.”
THIEM DOWNS NISHIKORI IN STYLE
Dominic Thiem claimed his first win of the week at the ATP Finals as he beat Kei Nishikori 6-1, 6-4 to stay mathematically alive at the O2 Arena on Thursday.
The Austrian, beaten by South Africa’s Kevin Anderson and Switzerland’s Roger Federer in his opening two round-robin matches, dominated throughout against Nishikori, who can no longer reach the semi-finals.
Thiem now needs South African Anderson to beat Roger Federer comfortably to have a chance of reaching the last four.
That scenario would leave Thiem, Federer and Nishikori on one win each — meaning second place in the group would be decided by sets percentages and then games percentages.