Djokovic offers a healthy choice ahead of Open
Novak Djokovic doesn’t really need to offer sweeteners to attract a crowd at the Australian Open.
Still, in what has become something of a tradition, he handed out some delicacies at his news conference on Sunday. He doled out chocolates at his first meeting with media at previous Australian Open tournaments and it’s worked — no man has won more titles here than Djokovic in the Open era.
Ahead of his title defence, and a bid for a record-equalling sixth Australian title (Roy Emerson won six in the 1960s before the Open era started), the No. 1-ranked Djokovic only slightly tweaked his recipe for success. The treats this time where “healthy, energy balls,” he told the assembled crowd. “They’re nice, still sweet — you’ll like them.”
It goes with his strict diet, one of the factors in his improved ability to handle the weather conditions in Melbourne which can range from extreme heat to cold and windy on the same day.
“It’s what I have on a daily basis,” he explained of the chocolate-looking balls, explaining the contents as “different super foods — and nuts and plant-based milk with cocoa and so forth. Pretty healthy stuff.”
Whatever the ingredients, it must be working.
Djokovic struggled earlier in his career with the heat at Melbourne Park, where he won his first major in 2008. He can handle all kinds of weather and court surfaces now, evidenced by his 2015 season when he lost only one match at Grand Slams — the French Open final.
That “was the best season and best year of my life undoubtedly. I enjoyed every moment spent on the court,” Djokovic said. “I’ll try to obviously carry that confidence and high level of performance that I’ve had, especially toward the end of the year, into the new season.
“The opening week of the year in Doha went extremely well for me. I haven’t dropped a set. I’ve been preparing well, taking some time to really work on certain things, get a good foundation.”
Milos Raonic of Thornhill, Ont., is the only seeded Canadian singles player at No. 13.
Two Canadians are scheduled to play their opening singles matches Monday. Vancouver’s Vasek Pospisil will face No. 14 Gilles Simon of France and Eugenie Bouchard of Westmount, Que., will meet unseeded Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia.
After losing a lopsided final to Djokovic in Doha, 14-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal described the Serbian player’s level as close to perfection.