djokovic wins shanghai masters opener relaxed over federer record
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

Djokovic wins Shanghai Masters opener, relaxed over Federer record

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today Djokovic wins Shanghai Masters opener, relaxed over Federer record

Djokovic makes winning return at Shanghai Masters
Shanghai - Arab Today

A new-look Novak Djokovic said he had given up on chasing Roger Federer's record 17 Grand Slam titles as he made a winning return to the tennis circuit on Tuesday.

Djokovic, the formerly indomitable Serb who has bullied his rivals over the past two seasons, said he had undergone a radical rethink after his travails of recent months.

The 29-year-old said he no longer saw protecting his world number one ranking, now under threat from Andy Murray, as his priority, or breaking Federer's all-time record.

The 12-time Grand Slam-winner beat Fabio Fognini 6-3, 6-3 at the Shanghai Masters in his first match back after skipping last week's China Open with an elbow injury.

"Right now, no," he said, when asked if surpassing Federer's 17 major titles was still one of his goals. "I don't think about that at all. 

"I don't think about any trophies or number ones in the world, rankings, anything like that. It's completely different. 

"It is there, because I play partly because I enjoy being successful and seeing the results of my work. But on the other hand that comes second."

Djokovic has been in a funk since completing a career Grand Slam -- and a run of four straight major titles -- at the French Open in June.

The Serb, who has admitted having "private issues", lost in Wimbledon's third round, and then failed to win a match at the Rio Olympics before finishing runner-up at the US Open.

- 'Wanted it too much' -

He said he had had a complete change of heart about his approach to tennis because the "must-win mindset... is not working for me any more".


"I try to be in this moment and take things slowly, and, you know, I'm not rushing anywhere. I'm not in a need, you know, to achieve anything," he said. 

"I feel like I have overcome that step. Right now it's about just, you know, following my gut, following my instinct, whatever I feel like doing."

He added: "Just before I arrived to Olympic Games, things were looking great, I was in great shape. I won Toronto. You know, I was, as I can say, the peak of my abilities. 

"I was extremely motivated to do well there, but I lost that equilibrium. I lost that balance, because I exaggerated with the way I pushed myself in that kind of preparation and I really, you know, wanted it too much maybe."

The mental revamp is astonishing from a player who has long pushed himself to the limit in pursuit of perfection -- but who didn't have to stretch himself against Italy's Fognini.

A lone break of serve was enough for Djokovic to win the first set and Fognini matched the Serb with strong baseline play until 3-3 in the second set.

But Fognini's serve deserted him as he double-faulted to hand over a break, and then again for three match points, before sealing his fate with his seventh and final double.

Djokovic gave the Italian a wry smile of sympathy as they shook hands. The defending champion will play Grigor Dimitrov or Vasek Pospisil in the third round.

- Alexander the Great -

Earlier outspoken Australian Nick Kyrgios said he had to stifle yawns as he dispatched Sam Querrey 6-4, 6-4 to tot up his sixth win in a row.

Kyrgios said he was "bored" and tired after last week's exertions at the Japan Open, where he lifted the third trophy of his season and career on Sunday.

"I was just a little bit bored at times," he said, when asked why he wasn't his usual vocal self on court. "I was feeling very tired today."

Juan Martin del Potro has also been in strong form but his tournament was quickly over when he was dumped out by Belgian seed David Goffin 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in 2hr 18min.

Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov beat French seed Richard Gasquet 6-4, 6-4 as he bounced back quickly from losing Sunday's China Open final to Andy Murray.

Germany's Alexander Zverev, 19, heightened his growing reputation when he beat eighth-seeded former US Open champion Marin Cilic 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

But Australia's Bernard Tomic said his season might be over after he retired with an abdominal problem while 3-6, 3-0 down against Roberto Bautista.

Source: AFP

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

djokovic wins shanghai masters opener relaxed over federer record djokovic wins shanghai masters opener relaxed over federer record

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

djokovic wins shanghai masters opener relaxed over federer record djokovic wins shanghai masters opener relaxed over federer record

 



GMT 06:49 2012 Saturday ,01 September

Lamitta Frangieh on her \'Facebook Romance\'

GMT 08:26 2017 Wednesday ,08 February

Qatar spending $500m a week on World Cup projects

GMT 17:00 2017 Tuesday ,27 June

Saudi Arabia rebuts fake news on Turkey, Israel

GMT 10:31 2016 Monday ,12 December

Second Sydney airport cleared for take off

GMT 05:27 2017 Sunday ,16 April

GIB Capital wins 4 EMEA Finance Awards

GMT 13:58 2016 Friday ,30 December

Australia beat Pakistan to win Test series

GMT 10:07 2017 Monday ,17 April

Mark Hamill would like to play George Lucas

GMT 12:10 2016 Tuesday ,13 December

Over 30 dead as Kenya tanker crashes, explodes

GMT 02:13 2017 Monday ,25 September

December22nd-January20th

GMT 15:39 2017 Tuesday ,03 October

Bangladesh rescues 20 Rohingya held by racket gang

GMT 02:51 2017 Friday ,10 November

Under siege, Syria doctors forced to improvise care
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday