Tag: Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic said he doesn’t know if he will be fit for his French Open quarter-final after injuring his knee in a five-set win over Francisco Cerundolo on Monday.

The world number one outlasted Argentine 23rd seed Cerundolo 6-1, 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 for his record 370th win in a Grand Slam match as he reached a 15th consecutive French Open quarter-final.

The world number one is due to play Casper Ruud on Wednesday for a place in the semi-finals. Whether he takes to the court against Casper Ruud, the player he defeated in last year’s Roland Garros final, remains to be seen after Djokovic said he would undergo medical tests to determine to extent of the damage to his right knee.

“I don’t know what will happen tomorrow or after tomorrow if I’ll be able to step out on the court and play. You know, I hope so. Let’s see what happens,” said Djokovic.

“I guess we’ll do some more screening and tests and checkups tomorrow, as well. We have done some with doctor right now after the match. Some positive news but also some maybe concerns, so let’s see tomorrow.”

After a four-hour, 29-minute win over Lorenzo Musetti that ended at 3:07am on Sunday morning in the previous round, the 37-year-old Djokovic was again tested to his physical limits while being impeded by a balky knee.

The Serbian rolled through the opening set but a slip in the third game of the second led to Djokovic taking a medical timeout, and he repeatedly received treatment at subsequent changeovers.

“I started feeling the pain and asked for the physio treatment and the medical timeout and tried to take care of it. It did disrupt me definitely in play,” said Djokovic.

Cerundolo, attempting to reach his first quarter-final at a major, threatened to spring an upset as he capitalised on Djokovic’s discomfort to move two sets to one in front.

The Serbian had already complained about the state of the clay in his match against Musetti, calling for it to be swept at more regular intervals.

He again took aim at the court for “screwing up” his knee and looked to be heading for his earliest French Open exit since 2009 when Cerundolo surged 4-2 ahead in the fourth set.

As he has done countless times, Djokovic displayed his immense powers of recovery to retrieve the break of serve, holding his own in the next game before unleashing a bellowing roar to whip up a crowd that sensed the three-time French Open winner was not done just yet.

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“At one point I didn’t know, to be honest, whether I should continue or not with what’s happening,” said Djokovic.

“I got the medications, and then after the third set was done, I asked for more medications, and I got them.

“That was the maximum dose that kicked in, as I heard now from doctor after 30 to 45 minutes, which was just about the time kind of end of the fourth when things started to really improve for me.”

Djokovic saved a break point to nudge 6-5 ahead and Cerundolo eventually was the first to blink, the top seed capitalising on a fourth set point to force a decider.

It felt almost inevitable Djokovic pinched a break to open the fifth set. Cerundolo did not go away though, scrambling his way back on serve before Djokovic again vented his ire at the court conditions after an awkward tumble.

“Well done, supervisor and everybody,” he said sarcastically. “Not slippery at all.”

An attempted passing shot from Cerundolo had Djokovic at full stretch doing the splits, an indicator of the tremendous quality still produced from both players despite a gruelling battle that spanned four hours and 39 minutes.

Djokovic pounced on his opportunity when it arrived in the eighth game, ripping a forehand winner that clipped the baseline to earn the vital break before he sealed another incredible victory.

“Basically the whole fifth set was almost without any pain, which is great, you know. But then the effect of the medications will not last for too long, so I’ll see,” said Djokovic.

For Cerundolo, so close to the biggest win of his career, it was an agonising reminder of Djokovic’s enduring greatness.

“He always finds a way to come back and play his best tennis at the toughest moments and at the end of every match,” said Cerundolo.

“I did my best. I was so close, but I couldn’t win it. He show again why he’s the best.”

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World number one Novak Djokovic fell to 44th-ranked Czech Tomas Machac, 6-4, 0-6, 6-1, in the semi-finals in Geneva on Friday ahead of his French Open title defence.

Djokovic, 37, took a wild card to the Swiss clay-court tournament in a bid to reverse an alarming dip in form ahead of Roland Garros where the 24-time Grand Slam champion has won three times.

“I have no reaction right now, I just fought for every ball,” said 23-year-old Machac.

“When you play against Novak you just hope. You just try to play your best and see what it looks like.”

Novak Djokovic, bidding to reach his first final of the season, received a medical timeout at the end of the first set.

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The Serb will head to Roland Garros where he faces Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the first round having won no titles this year.

Machac, competing in his maiden tour-level semi-final, rallied from a break down in the first set and after failing to win a game in the second powered back in the third set.

“I’m looking forward to playing in a final for the first time,” said Machac who will face two-time champion Casper Ruud or Italian Flavio Cobolli in the title match on Saturday.

Ruud, the world number seven, was the runner-up in the last two French Open finals, including a defeat to Novak Djokovic last year.

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Novak Djokovic was named World Sportsman of the Year for a record-equalling fifth time at the Laureus Awards ceremony on Monday, while Spanish footballer Aitana Bonmati won individual and team awards.

Tennis great Djokovic, a record 24-time Grand Slam champion, equalled his former rival Roger Federer’s tally at the prestigious ceremony in Madrid.

Djokovic, 36, won three Grand Slams last year along with the ATP Finals.

“I am incredibly honoured to have won my fifth,” said Djokovic. “I think back to 2012 when I won it for the first time as a 24-year-old.”

“I am very proud to be here 12 years later, reflecting on a year that brought me and my fans a lot of excitement and success.”

Bonmati won the Sportswoman of the Year award, becoming the first footballer to do so, and was also rewarded along with her Spain teammates for winning the Women’s World Cup last summer.

La Roja earned the World Team of the Year award for winning the competition for the first time in their history.

“Our national team is a group like no other -– our strength comes from every challenge we have faced, both on and off the field of play,” said Bonmati, who also won the Champions League with her club Barcelona.

Bonmati and her teammates were praised for helping to combat sexism in the Spanish football federation by protesting after disgraced former president Luis Rubiales forcibly kissed player Jenni Hermoso.

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England international Jude Bellingham was given the World Breakthrough of the Year award for his stunning start to life at Real Madrid, a day after he scored the Clasico winner against Barcelona.

Bellingham is Los Blancos’ top goalscorer with 21 goals across all competitions in his first season at the club.

Gymnastics star Simone Biles was given the World Comeback of the Year award for her triumphant return to the sport after nearly a two-year mental health break.

Biles, a three-time World Sportswoman of the Year winner, won four gold medals at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Belgium last year.

Tennis star Rafael Nadal’s foundation to help youngsters in Spain and India won the Sport for Good award, while Diede de Groot earned the World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability award.

The Dutch wheelchair tennis player claimed an unparallelled third consecutive calendar Grand Slam last year.

Arisa Trew, a 14-year-old Australian skateboarder, won the World Action Sportsperson of the Year award.

The awards have been offered annually since 2000 by a 69-strong jury comprised of sporting greats who make up the Laureus Academy.

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Novak Djokovic reached a record 77th Masters semi-final on Friday when he defeated Australia’s Alex de Minaur in straight sets in Monte Carlo as in-form Jannik Sinner racked up his 25th victory of the year.

Djokovic, the 36-year-old world number one came through a rollercoaster quarter-final to win 7-5, 6-4 and make the last-four in the principality for the first time since 2015 when he went on to claim his second title at the tournament.

Djokovic, the oldest man to make the Monte Carlo semi-finals in the Open Era, will take on Casper Ruud of Norway for a place in Sunday’s championship match.

“It was tough for both of us. He is one of the quickest players on tour. He gets a lot of balls back that normally 99 percent of other players don’t,” said Novak Djokovic who avenged his loss to De Minaur at the United Cup in January.

“He did not surprise me with several passing shots. Particularly in the second set when I was up a break.

“But he said at the net it was ugly. The second set I think it was. We didn’t play at the high level and made a lot of unforced errors, him and I, and a lot of breaks of serve. It is kind of expected on clay but maybe not this many. But a win is a win and I am happy to be through.”

Saturday’s other semi-final sees Australian Open champion and world number two Jannik Sinner face two-time Monte Carlo Masters winner Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Sinner took his 2024 record to 25 wins and just one loss with a gruelling 6-4, 6-7 (6/8), 6-3 victory over 2023 runner-up Holger Rune.

Greek 12th seed Tsitsipas breezed past Karen Khachanov of Russia 6-4, 6-2.

Djokovic had appeared on course for a comfortable afternoon under the sweltering Riviera sun against 11th seeded De Minaur.

After pocketing the first set, he was quickly 2-0 ahead in the second.

However, five successive breaks of serve followed as the top seed saw leads of 3-1 and 4-2 retrieved by his opponent who clawed back to 4-4.

Novak Djokovic held for 5-4 and secured his fifth break of the match in the 10th game to claim victory in just over two hours and move two wins away from a 41st career Masters title.

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Sinner kept his cool as Rune lost his in a two-hour 40-minute marathon.

Rune, who will drop out of the top 10 next week, was warned by the chair umpire for unsporting behaviour after a sarcastic gesture to the crowd in the second set.

He was booed even more when he sat down and demanded the supervisor be called.

The 20-year-old Dane regained his composure, saving two match points to take the tie to a decider.

However, Sinner moved smartly into his fifth semi-final of 2024, gaining revenge for his loss to Rune in the last-four in Monte Carlo 12 months ago.

“One can try and create a little bit of chaos,” said Sinner of Rune’s antics.

“That is no problem. I learned from last year. That is all part of the learning process.”

Tsitsipas, winner of the Monte Carlo title in 2021 and 2022, needed just 81 minutes to record his eighth win in nine meetings against Khachanov.

“I was very effective from the start, I had a lot of pace and gained momentum,” said Tsitsipas.

“I tried to do my part and press and it worked out really well.”

Tsitsipas added: “There are many good memories here and stepping out and coming back revives those good memories. It brings me alive.”

Eighth-seeded Ruud saw off 14th seed Ugo Humbert of France 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 to make the semi-finals in Monte Carlo for the second time.

Ruud will look to overturn a 5-0 losing record against Djokovic on Saturday, a dismal run which includes a straight-sets defeat to the Serb in the French Open final last year.

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Novak Djokovic avenged last year’s Monte Carlo Masters defeat by Lorenzo Musetti to reach the quarter-finals Thursday, while Daniil Medvedev launched into an angry tirade during his defeat.

World number one Djokovic made a poor start and endured a second-set wobble before coming through 7-5, 6-3 against the 24th-ranked Musetti, the man who beat him at the same stage 12 months ago.

Novak Djokovic goes on to play Alex de Minaur, the 11th seed from Australia, in the last eight.

The Serbian top seed dropped serve in the opening game against Musetti before working his way back to level at 4-4, and then snatched the set on a double fault by his opponent.

Djokovic broke twice early in the second set either side of losing his own serve to surge 4-1 ahead. Musetti clawed back to within a game but Djokovic broke again for 5-3 before closing out the win.

Novak Djokovic has struggled to find his best form in recent times in Monte Carlo. He has not won the tournament since the last of his two titles in 2015, failing to advance beyond the quarter-finals in seven subsequent appearances.

Medvedev launched into another angry tirade against the officiating as he was beaten 6-3, 7-5 by Karen Khachanov.

Daniil Medvedev was hit with a point penalty to start the final game after berating chair umpire Carlos Bernardes and then became embroiled in a heated discussion with the tournament supervisor.

The world number four had already been warned after hurling his racquet when he double-faulted to lose his service game and leave Khachanov a game away from victory.

Medvedev, who took issue with two line calls in his second-round win on Wednesday, felt aggrieved a Khachanov forehand was not called out during a rally that resulted in the latter earning two break points at 5-5.

The arrival of the physio to treat a finger bleed at the ensuing changeover tipped Medvedev over the edge, with the Russian yelling “did I ask for the physio!” at the umpire.

He then demanded of the supervisor “who will take responsibility?” for the decisions.

Television replays appeared to show the shot in question from Khachanov had landed wide of the court.

“It’s second day in a row. Guys, open your eyes. Do something. It’s out,” raged Medvedev.

“The mark is out. They don’t know how to referee anymore. Who will take action?

“Yesterday the ball is out, it’s called in. Who will take action. This ball is out there. Who will take responsibility? It’s not my responsibility to referee the matches.

“It’s this guy in the glasses (the line judge). He doesn’t need glasses because he doesn’t see anything. He should not be a referee.”

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Khachanov and Medvedev traded breaks in the first four games of the match before the former landed the crucial blow at 4-3 en route to taking the opening set.

The second set followed serve and Khachanov saved a set point down 5-4 before Medvedev imploded in the next game, losing both his serve and temper, and eventually the match.

Khachanov’s reward is a quarter-final Friday against Stefanos Tsitsipas, who saw off fifth seed Alexander Zverev 7-5, 7-6 (7/3).

De Minaur moved into the last eight with a 6-3, 6-4 victory against fellow Australian Alexei Popyrin.

Grigor Dimitrov, last month’s Miami Open runner-up, continued his good form with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Miomir Kecmanovic in a second-round match that was suspended on Wednesday because of rain.

Seventh seed Holger Rune, the 2023 finalist, shrugged off Indian qualifier Sumit Nagal 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.

World number two Jannik Sinner, who owns a 23-1 record this season, takes on Jan-Lennard Struff in the ongoing Monte Carlo Masters.

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World number one Novak Djokovic flew past Roman Safiullin in straight sets at the Monte Carlo Masters on Tuesday, after third seed Carlos Alcaraz announced his withdrawal from the event due to injury.

After receiving a bye in the first round, Djokovic was imperious on the main Rainier III court as he won 6-1, 6-2 against the unseeded Russian.

“I am very pleased… I think even the games that I lost I had break points in those games. It is a really great first match at the start of the clay season,” said Djokovic.

The Serb needed just one hour and 10 minutes to make a return to winning ways in his first match since a shock early exit at Indian Wells to Italian Luca Nardi.

The 36-year-old became the oldest world no.1 in the history of the ATP rankings when he took to the court in Monte Carlo, surpassing Roger Federer’s record.

“It is nice, it is great,” said the 24-time Grand Slam winner.

“I met (Rohan) Bopanna yesterday, who is the oldest doubles no.1 in history. He said we had a combined age of 80, but he does contribute to the 80 more than I do. But it is fun.”

But there was no sign of Djokovic feeling his age as he broke Safiullin’s serve twice to race into a 4-0 lead in the first set.

Novak Djokovic went on to break his opponent’s serve five times over the course of a routine win and now faces a third-round meeting with either Lorenzo Musetti or rising French starlet Arthur Fils.

Before Djokovic took to court, Alcaraz announced he was pulling out of Monte Carlo after failing to recover from an injury to his right forearm.

“I have been working in Monte Carlo and trying to recover until the last minute from an injured pronator teres (muscle) in my right arm, but it was not possible and I cannot play,” Alcaraz wrote on social media.

The 20-year-old Spaniard, whose last match came in the straight sets defeat by Grigor Dimitrov in Miami last month, was due to go straight into Wednesday’s second round in Monte Carlo against Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime.

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He will be replaced in the draw by Italian Lorenzo Sonego, who was drafted in as a lucky loser, the ATP announced.

The match against Auger-Aliassime was set to be the two-time Grand Slam winner’s second ever appearance at Monte Carlo, following his withdrawal from the tournament last year and a three-set defeat in his only match of the 2022 edition.

Earlier in the day, American Sebastian Korda, the man responsible for that defeat in 2022, stormed past Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-1, 6-2 in the first round.

After a rain-hit morning causing a two-and-a-half-hour delay to the day’s play, world no.11 Alex de Minaur made up for lost time with a 62-minute straight sets win over Stan Wawrinka.

The 39-year-old wild card Wawrinka, formerly ranked no.3 in the world but now down to no.79, was no match in the first round for the Australian who prevailed 6-3, 6-0.

Wawrinka, the 2014 champion in Monte Carlo and a three-time Grand Slam winner, made 28 unforced errors to De Minaur’s 18 and landed just four winners to the 12 made by his opponent.

In the next round, De Minaur, who won this year’s title on the hard courts in Acapulco, will face Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor.

Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut beat lucky loser Facundo Diaz Acosta 6-2, 6-4, while China’s Zhang Zhizhen won in three sets against Marcos Giron of the United States.

The 10th seed Hubert Hurkacz overcame Britain’s Jack Draper after nearly two and a half hours on court to reach the second round, winning 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/2).

After winning a first title in two injury-hit years in Marrakesh on Sunday, Italian Matteo Berrettini’s run in Monte Carlo Masters was cut short by Miomir Kecmanovic 6-3, 6-1.

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Novak Djokovic and Goran Ivanisevic are to go their separate ways, the tennis world number one announced on Wednesday, ending a five-year association which yielded 12 Grand Slams.

Djokovic brought Croatia’s 2001 Wimbledon champion on board as a member of the coaching team ahead of the grass court Grand Slam in 2019 and although the Serbian admitted their “on-court chemistry had its ups and downs”, it also resulted in huge success.

However, Djokovic has had by his high standards a poor start to the year, losing to eventual champion Jannik Sinner of Italy in the Australian Open semi-finals.

The 36-year-old Serbian then lost to Sinner’s unheralded compatriot Luca Nardi in the third round at Indian Wells, prompting him to withdraw from the Miami tournament for what he claimed were scheduling reasons.

“Goran and I decided to stop working together a few days ago,” Djokovic posted on Instagram.

“Our on court chemistry had its ups and downs, but our friendship was always rock solid.

“In fact, I am proud to say (not sure he is) that apart from winning tournaments together, we also had a side battle in Parchisi going on… for many years,” he said, referring to the online game.

“And -– that tournament never stops for us. Šefinjo, thanks for everything my friend. Love you.”

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Novak Djokovic said the volatile and charismatic Goran Ivanisevic had brought more than just his tennis acumen to the partnership, which was exactly what he and his then head coach Marian Vajda had been looking for.

“I remember clearly the moment I invited Goran to be part of my team,” said Djokovic.

“It was back in 2018, and Marian (Vajda) and I were looking to innovate and bring some serve magic to our duo.

“In fact, not only we brought serve, but also lots of laughter, fun, year end no1 rankings, record breaking achievements and 12 more Grand Slams (and a few finals) to the count since then.”

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Rafael Nadal on Wednesday hailed longtime rival Novak Djokovic as the best player in the history of the sport.

“The numbers say yes, for me yes (he is the best in history),” Rafael Nadal said in an interview with El Objective de La Sexta when asked, “who is the best?”

Novak Djokovic has 24 Grand Slam titles having surpassed Nadal’s 22 when he captured last year’s French Open.

Despite that success, the controversial world number one from Serbia still struggles to translate his on-court triumphs into off-court popularity.

“The image he projects is worse than he really is; I think he’s a good person,” added Nadal.

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“There are moments of frustration. Novak breaks his racquet, but the next point he is ready to play at 100% again and it is the best I have ever seen.”

Nadal, 37, has been battling injury and missed virtually all of 2023. He was hurt again last month before sitting out the Australian Open.

With his career winding down, Nadal hailed compatriot and heir Carlos Alcaraz who is already a two-time major winner at the age of 20.

“Carlos has an incredible level of tennis, he is a super complete player in every sense,” said Nadal.

“I don’t see weaknesses in him like the ones I had at his age. He has all the ingredients to have an incredible career.”

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Andy Murray conceded Saturday he longed for the chance to play again on the big stage against superstars Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.

Speaking ahead of the season-opening Brisbane International, the 36-year-old said he missed the days when he regularly met Djokovic, Nadal and Roger Federer at the business end of major tournaments.

Andy Murray matched it with the big three for a decade between 2006-16 before a run of injuries resulted in time off court and a slide in his ranking.

While the others powered on to title after title, the Scotsman, now ranked 42, was forced to battle his way back, his career never reaching its former heights.

The last time Andy Murray met Nadal was in the semi-finals of the Madrid Masters in 2016 and while he played Novak Djokovic in the Madrid Masters last year, he had not met him since 2017 before that.

“Obviously I would like the opportunity to play against them again, ideally in the latter stages of big tournaments,” Murray said.

“That’s something that obviously I’ve missed, that feeling, not had that opportunity really.

“If I get the opportunity to practise with them, I still really, really enjoy that.

“It does bring back some good memories, but ideally, I’d want to be doing that in the tournaments, not in the first rounds.”

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Murray has been practising with Nadal in Brisbane as the Spaniard makes his comeback after almost 12 months away with injury.

He said Rafael Nadal was moving well and showing no signs of the hip injury that forced him off tour after the 2023 Australian Open.

Murray also said Nadal appeared to have made only minor changes to his game in his time away from the tour.

“His second serve is significantly harder than what he did earlier in his career,” Murray said.

“But yeah, the rest of the game, unless there’s a physical issue, there’s not really much reason for him to make huge changes to that — it’s been pretty successful.

“When he’s fit and healthy, that game style is what has worked really, really well for him, looking for his forehand, trying to dominate with that shot.

“If he wants to be successful in the future, that’s what he should be looking to do. That’s how he was trying to play today.”

Murray takes on second-seeded Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov in the first round, a rematch of the 2013 Brisbane International final which Murray won in two close sets.

Dimitrov won their last encounter at this year’s US Open.

“I need to play really well, certainly much better than there, if I want to get through it,” Andy Murray said.

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World number one Novak Djokovic steered Serbia into the Davis Cup semi-finals as he beat Cameron Norrie 6-4, 6-4 to secure a 2-0 triumph over Great Britain in Malaga on Thursday.

The 36-year-old rebuked British fans at the end of the match as they tried to down his victory speech.

After Miomir Kecmanovic edged Jack Draper 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (8/6) in the opening clash 24-time Grand Slam winner Djokovic outclassed a stubborn Norrie to book a date with Jannik Sinner’s Italy on Saturday after they beat the Netherlands 2-1.

Djokovic, who beat Sinner to win the ATP Finals on Sunday in Turin before flying to the Costa del Sol, celebrated his landmark 400th week at number one with a straight sets win over Norrie, the captains agreeing not to play the redundant doubles.

British fans outnumbered Serbs at the sold-out Martin Carpena arena but the relentless Djokovic silenced them with his 21st consecutive Davis Cup singles win.

“Keep going, keep going,” said Djokovic, addressing British fans trying to drown him out with drums as he spoke after his win.

“Learn how to respect people, learn how to respect players, learn how to behave yourselves.”

Novak Djokovic said earlier this week that winning the competition is one of his “greatest goals” in a year where he has lifted seven titles, including three Grand Slams.

The veteran star was part of Serbia’s only Davis Cup triumph in 2010 and his country eliminated 10-time champions Britain, who faced an uphill struggle after Kecmanovic defeated Draper in two tie-breaks.

Britain, without the injured Andy Murray and Dan Evans, were hoping Draper could give them a cushion.

Serbia captain Viktor Troicki selected Kecmanovic over the higher-ranked Laslo Djere and the world number 55 raised his game in return.

Draper staved off two set points to hold for 5-5 but unravelled in the first tie-break, double-faulting twice and miscalculating a drop shot to hand the Serbian the set on a plate.

After composing himself the second set was even tighter than the first, with neither player able to find a break again.

The near-flawless Kecmanovic triumphed when Draper lashed a forehand wide and then pushed a return into the net.

“It was definitely very close, and just the atmosphere made it, I think, even more tense than it probably would be if it was like an ATP match or something,” said the Serb.

Djokovic set out with his mission clearly defined and earned two break points at 2-2 and took the second of them to nose ahead with a well-judged touch over the net which the scrambling Norrie just failed to reach.

The Briton was pulled to-and-fro by Djokovic but scrapped to survive four break points for an extremely tough hold from love 40 down, to trail 4-3. One superb overhead earned Norrie applause from Djokovic.

The 36-year-old offered little else after that to his opponent though and closed out the first set serving to love with a volley, before cupping his ear and blowing sarcastic kisses to a couple of British fans who had upset him.

Novak Djokovic broke to love in the first game of the second set as he began to hit his stride and show off his lethal forearm.

British No 1 Norrie, 18th in the world, showed resilience but never came close to finding a way back into the match.

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