Djokovic not bothered by McEnroe flak
JONATHAN McEVOY
IF Novak Djokovic can rule the six inches between his ears as effectively as he dominated the 78 feet between baselines yesterday, he could yet climb off the psychiatrist’s couch to lift the Wimbledon crown.
While his 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 demolition of Adam Pavlasek in little more than an hour and a half left no doubts about the sharpness of his game, wider questions continue to assail him.
First, the controversial comments made by John McEnroe. The greying Mac had drawn a parallel between Djokovic and Tiger Woods, whose priapic appetites brought him low from the heights of golf untouchability.
Novak ‘had some off-court issues with the family,’ ventured McEnroe. ‘That’s going to throw you. If you’re distracted, you’re not the same.’ Now the hare was running. McEnroe’s observations were put to Djokovic after his match. ‘John has a complete right to say what he wants as anyone does,’ said the 30-year-old Serbian, PR politesse oozing from him.
‘Especially John as he has earned that right because of who he is and what he has means to the sport. He’s very well known for his bold comments and not being politically correct. But I respect everything he says.’
He was asked again, this time whether there was basis of fact in McEnroe’s comments. That brought another fine Djokovic return. ‘I don’t necessarily need to agree with that. But it’s his right.’ A third time, he dodged the question.
Whatever the specifics behind Djokovic’s relative decline in form since he won the last of his 12 Grand Slams at Roland Garros last year, he is counting on Andre Agassi to help him reverse it.
The American’s autobiography,
won awards for its searing honesty, with its author revealing the inner conflict which saw him live on the edge of self-immolation and perfectionism.
Djokovic sees parallels in Agassi’s slip — albeit a far more pronounced one than his own — from world No1 to No144 between 1996 and 1997, before he resurrected his fortunes to win the last five of his eight majors.
As well as recruiting Agassi as his coach, Djokovic has brought in former top-10 star Mario Ancic to help plug his socket back into the mains.
Both men clapped encouragement in the fierce early afternoon sun yesterday as their client made light work of Pavlasek, a Czech ranked 136th.
The Serb was momentarily unsettled when umpire Damien Dumusois called a time penalty. He immediately conceded the only break point of the match and chuntered away.
Latvian Ernests Gulbis — a three-set winner over Juan Martin del Potro yesterday — is now awaiting Djokovic, who has played only two hours 34 minutes in two matches.
A brief itinerary due in no small part to a mixture of injury to his limping first-round opponent Martin Klizan, and the limitations of his second, who at least played on two legs.