DJOKOVIC EASES PAST ISNER IN OPENING CLASH OF ATP FINALS
LONDON: Novak Djokovic sent out a warning to his rivals at the ATP Finals on Monday, brushing aside big-serving John Isner 6-4, 6-3 to launch his bid for a recordequalling sixth ATP Finals title in style.
On Tuesday, Kevin Anderson came within a whisker of a rare “double bagel” when he trounced Japan’s Kei Nishikori 6-0, 6-1.
World No 1 Djokovic played a different game, appearing little troubled by the howitzers coming off the giant Isner’s racquet.
In stark contrast to second seed Roger Federer, who produced an error-strewn performance in defeat to Kei Nishikori on Sunday, Djokovic hit just six unforced errors and won 86 percent of points on his serve, making a mockery of the apparent challenging nature of the surface.
“The match was great, obviously,” said the 31-year-old. “I had three breaks of serve of John which is sometimes mission impossible but I managed to be at the right place at the right time.
Earlier, Zverev kept his nerve at the key moments to beat Marin Cilic 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/1), recovering from a break down in each set.
INDIA TO HOST ITALY ON GRASS IN KOLKATA
NEWDELHI:INDIA will host Italy on grass in the Qualifiers for the Davis Cup Finals at the South Club in Kolkata on February 1-2.
Kolkata was chosen as the venue only after the All India Tennis Association secured two key exemptions from the International Tennis Federation.
The rules require that World Group and Play-off ties be played at a venue where the space behind the baseline is 27 feet and there is a seating capacity of 4000.
Only DLTA and centre court at MSLTA fulfil the requirements but they do not have grasscourts. In the three years that India hosted a Grand Prix, only one man won the races. Sebastian Vettel was untouchable as he stormed his Red Bull to four consecutive World Championships, his fourth crown coming at the final Indian race in 2013. As he performed celebratory donuts on the smashing Buddh International Circuit racetrack, the German looked to be in a different league. Fernando Alonso had won two titles, Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikkonen had one apiece. Vettel, the youngest of the lot, had four, and was hammering on history’s door with a battering ram.
Since then, Vettel has flown close to the championship but seen his (non-red Bull) wings singed each time. Over at Ferrari, where he has driven since 2015, he has been given an unquestioned number one status and a run of the field. It is his car that will get the upgrades first, his car that will dictate pit-stop strategy, his car that will make the call.
It makes complete sense from a Ferrari point of view. The number one tag worked for Vettel’s idol Michael Schumacher, who ran a well-oiled machine with wingmen giving him support, and Hamilton, his greatest rival, who likes his team belonging to him. Now, after being overhauled in the title race by Hamilton -- a situation that was unthinkable back in 2013 -- we must question if that approach works for Vettel.
Vettel is the kind of racer who relishes beating his partner. When paired with Mark Webber at Red Bull, there were times Webber was his only competition as well as times when Vettel -rather like the Max Verstappen we see today -- would rebel defiantly against team instructions and continue to do his own thing, hungrily chasing down wins like an addict. He started at Ferrari by