Novak is ready to do battle
Don’t be fooled by the Wimbledon champion’s apparent lack of focus
DEFENDING champion Novak Djokovic’s preparations for Wimbledon next week have been laid back in the extreme.
The world No 1 has not played a competitive match since a gut-wrenching defeat by Stanislas Wawrinka in the French Open final at the start of the month, opting out of the Wimbledon warm-up events in what has been an extended grasscourt swing.
Djokovic even posted a photograph of himself apparently asleep on one of the All England Club lawns this week, but do not be deceived.
Once the Serb walks on to Centre Court on Monday to begin his quest for a third Wimbledon title he will flick the switch and the warrior instincts are sure to return.
Djokovic made it a mission this year to complete his career grand slam at Roland Garros and after back-to-back wins against Rafa Nadal and Andy Murray in the quarter-finals and semi-finals his moment seemed to have arrived.
But an inspired Wawrinka slammed the door shut.
It was a heartbreaking defeat for Djokovic but a fortnight in the English country garden setting of the All England Club, with some expected warm weather too, will provide the perfect antidote for any lingering disappointment.
“He was very close to achieving something that very few players have done … he probably needed some time away to rest and relax and get his head right,” said Wimbledon third seed Andy Murray.
Djokovic’s most likely title rivals, Murray and 17-time grand slam champion Roger Federer, have been busy sharpening their grasscourt tools.
Murray breezed to a fourth Queen’s Club title, while Federer’s eighth Halle crown in Germany backed up the belief that, even at 33, the second seed could win an eighth Wimbledon crown to move past great American Pete Sampras in the all-time list.
“Murray Mania” will pump up to full volume over the next couple of weeks with the inform Briton being tipped to win his first slam since beating Djokovic on Centre Court in 2013 though he has lost eight in a row to Djokovic since then.
“He has put himself back in the mix,” triple Wimbledon champion John McEnroe said of the Scot’s resurgence after a lacklustre 2014.
“I think overall he is 10 to 15 percent better, and that is a significant amount at his level.”
Twice champion Nadal will arrive under the radar.
Seeded 10th after a mediocre year, dethroned French Open king Nadal won his first grasscourt title for five years in Stuttgart a few days later and then lost to Alexandr Dolgopolov at Queen’s but no one will want to face him.
“I think in certain ways it’s not about the shots, it’s more about what’s inside his head, how healthy he is,” McEnroe added.
Last year’s tournament saw Australian trailblazer Nick Kyrgios hammer Nadal, and Canadian Milos Raonic fell to Federer in the semi-finals and both are dangers. The unpredictable Kyrgios, 20, has the ‘wow’ factor to shake up the establishment, according to fellow Aussie Darren Cahill, who once coached former champion Lleyton Hewitt. – Reuters