Djokovic saunters into first seaside showpiece

NOVAK DJOKOVIC does like to be beside the seaside, after all. The spectators and seagulls were out in force to watch the 12-time Grand Slam winner reach his first Eastbourne final by beating Russian big hitter Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 6-4 yesterday. It is Djokovic’s debut at the Aegon International, where he is the only top-15 ranked player, and he has yet to drop a set ahead of Wimbledon. The world No 4, who is set to face Slovakia’s Martin Klizan in the first round of SW19, said: ‘I could not be happier with the way it went. I was hoping to do well but this is the dream result. Now I’m in a position to fight for the trophy. I have started slowly here because I am recalibrating my game.’ Andre Agassi will be with Djokovic at Wimbledon, though the American coach is not presently in Eastbourne. Instead, the 30-year-old Serb has been doing his own scouting of opponents and his agent, Edoardo Artaldi, has been donning his whites to help him train. It is an unfamiliar set-up for the former world No 1 and three-time Wimbledon champion, though he has encountered very few problems so far in Eastbourne. The worst of it from Medvedev was the Russian’s vicious serve, but Wimbledon second seed Djokovic came through the match relatively unscathed in one hour and 22 minutes. Djokovic’s opponent in today’s final will be Gael Monfils after the swashbuckling Frenchman beat his compatriot Richard Gasquet last night. In a thrilling encounter which lasted just over two-and-a-half hours, Monfils held off a spirited fightback from Gasquet to take the match in a tie break, winning 6-2, 6-7, 7-6.