Djokovic, Kerber keeping eye on main prize

MEN’S top seed Novak Djokovic will start the Eastbourne ATP-WTA event in the second round against Canadian qualifier Vasek Pospisil, who beat Jiri Vesely 6-3, 6-4 yesterday.

South African Kevin Anderson defeated Thomaz Bellucci 6-3, 6-1; Australian Bernard Tomic stopped Slovak Norbet Gombos 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.

Meanwhile, Angelique Kerber (right) will treat this week in the English sea coast town as a test.

“My goal is to have a lot of matches before Wimbledon. That’s why I decide to take a wild card entry,” Kerber, 2012 and 2014 Eastbourne finalist, said.

“I want to feel the grass again. I’m happy to be back on, and I’m happy that the clay court season is already finished.

“But I’m not thinking about my Wimbledon results. It’s still a long way. We are starting at zero this year. It’s a new year and it’s a different year.

“I’m thinking right now day by day and having match by match. If I’m at Wimbledon I will think about Wimbledon.”

Kerber is being heavily challenged by No. 2 Simona Halep, who stands just a handful of points shy of the leader.

But at this Wimbledon edition, the women’s field is wide open.

“I think we saw it already in the last few weeks, few months. This is a challenge for everybody,” Kerber, who trained last week in Mallorca after rehabilitating a leg injury, said.

But she will not be distracted: “I have learned that I really can only focus on me and not think too much about all the other players and what they are doing.

“I will just do my things – my schedule, my preparation, deal with my side of the court and focus on me.”

The German, who took the top spot from Serena Williams, begins her campaign in the second round against Czech Kristina Pliskova, a winner over Briton Naomi Broady 6-2, 6-7 (7-9), 6-1.

“I’m feeling good already,” said Kerber. “I pulled out from Birmingham (last week) because I was not 100% and I was feeling a little bit my leg.

“I had a lot of treatments and three or four days resting. Then I started practising again (in Mallorca). Now I’m feeling good. It’s nice to playing again on the grass courts.”

Sorana Cirstea of Romania won a firstround match over Katerina Siniakova 6-3, 6-2 while Naomi Osaka won a contest with fellow Japanese Risa Ozaki 6-0, 6-1.

American Christina McHale retired injured trailing 6-3, 4-0 against China’s Duan Ying-Ying.

Two more Chinese moved through as Peng Shuai beat Francesca Schiavone 6-3, 6-4 and Zhang Shuai put out Varvara Lepchenko 6-2, 6-1.

Barbora Strycova beat 2014 nadded to the misery of 2014 Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.

In the second round, Britain’s Heather Watson knocked out fourth seed Dominika Cibulkova 7-5, 6-4, French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko overcame Carla Suarez Navarro 6-3, 0-6, 6-4 and Spaniard Lara Arruabarrena beat 16th seed Daria Gavrilova 2-6, 6-2, 6-3. – dpa