Djokovic eyes climb to rankings summit
TENNIS: Novak Djokovic was last the No. 1 player in the ATP Rankings at the 2016 Rolex Paris Masters. So it’s only fitting that two years on, it’s at the Parisian ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event that the Serbian has a chance to take the top spot back.
Djokovic, a four-time champion at the tournament, got off to a good start to his pursuit of that goal with a 7-5, 6-1 victory against Portuguese qualifier Joao Sousa.
For Djokovic to pass Rafael Nadal when the next ATP Rankings come out on Monday, he must outlast Nadal this week in Paris. If both stars lose in the same round, the Spaniard will remain top
Djokovic was No. 1 for
122 straight weeks — the fourth-longest stint in history — before falling to Marin Cilic in the 2016 Paris quarter-finals. IT’S almost a year now since Bundee Aki wore the Ireland jersey for the first time, yet the furore surrounding his international debut seems like a lifetime ago.
In the 12 months since that game against the Springboks in Dublin, the Connacht centre has become a mainstay in the Ireland squad and is seen as a key part of Joe Schmidt’s plans.
Aki kept his cards close to his chest as soon as he arrived in the country from New Zealand four years ago, but playing international rugby for Ireland was always in the back of his mind.
He might not have been as vocal about it as some of the other foreign players with the same intention, but deep down Aki knew what he wanted.
The 28-year old has become a cult hero in the west of Ireland and there is a sense that there is much more to come from him on the international stage.
World Rugby’s eligibility rules will still frustrate many, but Aki played by them and Ireland are now reaping the rewards.
“I knew what I wanted to do, it’s just sometimes you have to make sure that within yourself, you know what you are doing and what goals you have set,” Aki says, reflecting on his decision to play for Ireland. “It’s about keeping that close to yourself and, when the time arrived, like it did, I was thankful for the opportunity. I’m in a good head space at the moment.”
On the pitch, it takes a load to ruffle Aki’s feathers, yet one wonders what kind of impact the over-the-top criticism of him had?
“Aw look, people have their own opinions,” he maintains.
“You can’t hide from it. You can’t do anything about it. You just have to focus on what you need to focus on.
“I just wanted to do the best I could to put in a performance for the boys around me because they are the guys who I will be playing with.
“The boys around me made me feel welcome. I am one of them. I have thick skin. It’s all about the guys around you and making sure that you are impressing the coaches as well.”
That is all a distant memory now, however, and this weekend’s clash against Italy in Chicago provides Aki with another chance to prove to Schmidt that he can be one of his main men.
Competition in Ireland’s midfield has been tough for a while now and the addition of Ulster’s Will Addison to the mix merely heightens that.
Aki, however, brings something different to the party.
His role in CJ Stander’s try at Twickenham last year was outstanding, and it is little subtleties like that which Schmidt wants Aki to produce more of.
World Rugby yesterday announced that Stander’s stunning try is on the shortlist for try of the year and it was one that Aki in particular takes huge pride in.
“I’ve always known that I could play-make a little bit more but it’s about making sure that you do it at the right time and the right places,” Aki explains.
“That try that CJ scored was a team try really. I got smashed a few times but the boys stuck to their guns and it paid off.
“There is a lot of satisfaction to it because you are going into a week where you are practicing it and it doesn’t pay off but you are still trusting that it is going to pay off. That’s exactly what we did. We just kept trusting it.
“I think it’s just game awareness really and knowing who you have on your inside and outside.
“I just happened to hear CJ who was very loud on my inside. You’re just trying to make a quick decision on the spot and it felt like CJ was the one.”
Meanwhile, Ireland are hopeful that Conor Murray will be fit enough to return from injury in time to face the All Blacks in Dublin on November 17.
The scrum-half hasn’t played yet this season as he battles against a neck problem, but his presence in Carton House this week has come as a major boost.
Twelve of Ireland’s players have been in camp in Kildare since Sunday, where Schmidt is overseeing proceedings.
The Ireland head coach has delayed his arrival in Chicago and he will instead link up with the squad after that camp breaks up this afternoon.
“No, he (Murray) hasn’t been ruled out,” forwards coach Simon Easterby said. “A little bit like a some of the others, he’s been on a longer-term injury list but he’s in camp this week.”