Licence to thrill – Djokovic ‘pumped’ up for Oz Open

NOVAK DJOKOVIC, has no pretensions of being a super spy but the number 007 has got the Australian Open champion “pumped” ahead of the year’s first Grand Slam.

The 29-year-old Serbian joined Roy Emerson as the most successful men’s champion at the Australian Open last year when he beat Andy Murray for his sixth title at Melbourne Park.

Seven, however, has a nice sound to it, the former world number one said yesterday.

“007, Why not? Maybe this is the year. Seven in 17. I’m not a numerologist but it sounds good,” a laughing Djokovic

said in an interview on the Australian Open website yesterday.

“In terms of my feelings of coming to Melbourne, the last five or six years has been pretty much the same. I am very pumped to do well.”

Doing well and Djokovic go hand-inhand in Melbourne.

In recent years he has made the blue hardcourts near the centre of the city his own, winning the men’s title five times in the last six years since 2011.

Such has been his dominance since he won his maiden Grand Slam title in Australia in 2008, he has lost just three times at Melbourne Park.

All were in the quarter-finals, with the 2014 loss coming at the hands of eventual champion Stan Wawrinka.

Every time he has made the final, he has won the tournament.

In four of those finals he has beaten current world number one Murray, who he also bettered in a scintillating final in Doha at the weekend.

Murray, who was knighted in the New Year, had a phenomenal second half of 2016 that included clinching his second Wimbledon title and Olympic gold at Rio as Djokovic’s season dramatically fell off after he beat his rival at Roland Garros.

The Briton’s strong form vaulted him to the top of the world rankings meaning Djokovic is not the top seed at the season-opening Grand Slam for the first time since 2014.

“Andy deserves to be number one,” Djokovic said.

“He had a tremendous last six months of 2016.

“This year we have already played a thrilling match and I am looking forward to our rivalry.

“Considering the memories I have and the results in the past I am really looking forward to being back again. I’m not the only one who is excited but it does give me goose bumps to come back (and) … I’m feeling phenomenal.”

Second seed Agnieszka Radwanska dismissed a jaded Barbora Strycova in straight sets at the Sydney International yesterday, setting up a final against British number one Johanna Konta.

The 2013 champion brushed aside Strycova 6-1, 6-2 to maintain her impeccable record against the Czech and reach her second final in Sydney.

The Pole had never lost to Strycova in their previous six meetings and her opponent looked helpless as the trend continued at the Ken Rosewall Arena.

Strycova was on court for nearly fourand-half hours on Wednesday for her singles and doubles matches and the fatigue showed against Radwanska.

Strycova failed to hold serve in the first set against the former world number two who dropped just three points on serve in the second.

“I think I’m playing better and better each match,” Radwanska, who changed racket in the off-season, said.

“I think I was doing everything right today, and I cannot really complain about anything.

“I really like to play in Australia. I love the courts. I feel very comfortable here. So I’m just very happy to make another final, especially here when it’s always a very strong tournament.”

Sydney-born Konta was equally dominant in the other semi-final as she beat Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard 6-2, 6-2.

Konta will hope it will be third time lucky against Radwanska who beat her in both of their previous meetings last year.

“She’s been one of the best players for as long as I can remember,” Konta said of her next opponent in a courtside interview.

“She’s definitely doing something right. I’ve played her twice before, I’ve lost twice. Hopefully I’d do a better job,” she added. – Reuters