Djokovic thanks Ivanisevic tips after flurry of aces
DEFENDING champion Novak Djokovic said he had been taking tips from serving maestro Goran Ivanisevic after he hammered down a series of aces in his firstup win at the Australian Open.
Djokovic smacked 14 aces and had a first-serve percentage of 65 per cent in his grinding 7-6 (7/5), 6-2, 2-6, 6-1 win over Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff in round one.
The Serb credited his work with Croatia’s Ivanisevic, who served up more than 10,000 aces in his career and joined the 16time Grand Slam winner’s team last year.
“Throughout my career my serve was maybe a little bit underestimated because of the quality of the returns and the baseline play,” he told reporters late on Monday.
“There were times I was struggling with an elbow injury and I had to change the technique of my serve and a lot of things were happening, but in the last year-and-a-half I feel great serving.
“Obviously I pray to have serving days like I had today all of the time. I know it’s not possible but I can back up my serving game from the back of the court.”
The 32-year-old came through a mid-match lapse against Struff, the world number 37, and said he was glad to have an early test as he goes for a record-extending eighth Australian Open crown.
“Historically I had a lot of success in the Grand Slams where I had a tough opponent in the first round, because it gets me going from the beginning,” he said.
“I have to be alert, I have to be on a high level and I think I was. Of course, you can always play better and I expect myself to be better as the tournament progresses.”