Tag: Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic pulls out of Miami Open to spend time with family | Tennis News – Times of India

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World number one Novak Djokovic will delay his comeback to the ATP Tour following a muscle injury after deciding to skip the Miami Open starting next week to spend more time with his family.
Djokovic sustained a muscle tear that hindered him during his successful Australian Open title defence last month and the 33-year-old planned to return at Miami before playing the Monte-Carlo Masters and the ATP 250 Serbia Open.
“Dear fans, I’m very sorry to announce that this year I won’t travel to Miami to compete,” Djokovic tweeted.
“I decided to use this precious time at home to stay with my family. With all restrictions, I need to find balance in my time on tour and at home. I look forward to coming back next year.”

Djokovic, who won his 18th Grand Slam title at Melbourne Park, eclipsed Roger Federer‘s all-time record for most weeks as the men’s world number one on March 8 when he moved past the Swiss to hold the top ranking for the 311th week.
He said at the time that his focus would be on winning more majors, adding he would make necessary adjustments to his playing schedule to achieve that goal.
Rafa Nadal also decided to skip the March 22-April 4 Masters 1000 event to recover from a back injury, while Federer will not be present as he works his way back to full fitness after two knee operations in the past 12 months.
U.S. Open champion Dominic Thiem will miss the event and return to the tour during the European claycourt season. World number two Daniil Medvedev is set to lead the field.
Former champion Andy Murray will also feature, having been given a wildcard by the tournament organisers.



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Federer ‘pain free’ ahead of Qatar Open, says never eyed retirement | Tennis News – Times of India

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DOHA: Roger Federer said retirement was never really an option during his battle with injury, insisting Sunday the pain was “completely under control” ahead of his return to competitive tennis at this week’s Qatar Open.
The 39-year-old hasn’t played a match since a semi-final defeat to Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open in January 2020 and acknowledged it was unusual for a player of his age to return after injury.
“I know it’s on the rare side for a 40-year-old to come back after a year out,” he said at a media briefing in the Qatari capital Doha.
“The important thing is I’m pain free and injury free.
“I’m very happy to be back playing a tournament — I never thought it was going to take this long.”
On his rivalry with Rafael Nadal and Djokovic, who this week overtakes his record of 310 weeks as world number one in men’s tennis, Federer said “it’s a great debate to have”.
“I think what Novak and Rafa have done of late is extraordinary – theyre not 25 either,” he said with a smile.
“Novak did it in Australia, Rafa did it at The French — they seem at their peak which is great for tennis and for the debate.
“My concern is my own health, my own game (more) than the record.
“The guys are unreal, I hope they keep on going and can do everything they possibly want — you want to leave the game with no regrets, and in that respect we all sleep very well at night.”
Federer, a 20-time Grand Slam title winner, said that while “expectations are really low” for his campaign in Qatar, he hoped to surprise himself.
“Obviously I’m confident otherwise I wouldn’t put myself in this situation,” he said ahead of his first fixture which will be on either Tuesday or Wednesday.
“In a vision I see myself with the trophy,” he added laughing.
Federer said that the complications that followed his knee surgery motivated him to get back in form.
“What I knew is regardless of whether I came back or not, for my life I wanted to do this rehab anyhow,” he said.
“I feel there is still something — retirement was never really on the cards. I don’t mind doing rehab.”
Looking ahead, Federer said that he was hoping to be back to “100 percent” for Wimbledon in June but had not taken decisions on tournaments before then or the Olympics.
“It’s still building up to being fitter, better, faster,” he said.
“I’ll see about Dubai… then we’ll see about the clay court season.”

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After eclipsing Roger Federer’s world number one record, Novak Djokovic eyes Grand Slam history | Tennis News – Times of India

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PARIS: Novak Djokovic will on Monday set a new landmark of 311 weeks as world number one, surpassing Roger Federer whose hold on a record-equalling 20 Grand Slam titles is now firmly in the Serb’s sights.
The 33-year-old Djokovic, already the winner of 18 majors, has time on his side with Federer turning 40 in August.
He is also a year younger than Rafael Nadal who also has 20 majors.
“Now that I’ve become the historic No.1, I’m relieved,” said Djokovic after sweeping to a ninth Australian Open last month which guaranteed his extended stay at the top.
Longest reigns as world number number one in men’s tennis:
1. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 311 weeks
2. Roger Federer (SUI) 310
3. Pete Sampras (USA) 286
4. Ivan Lendl (CZE) 270
5. Jimmy Connors (USA) 268
6. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 209
7. John McEnroe (USA) 170
8. Bjorn Borg (SWE) 109
9. Andre Agassi (USA) 101
10. Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) 80
“Now, I’m going to be able to focus mainly on the Grand Slams.”
Djokovic reclaimed the top ranking from Nadal in February 2020 and finished as year-end number one for the sixth time, tying the mark set by Pete Sampras.
He is currently in his fifth different spell atop the rankings.
Nadal, currently at number two, has been at the top for ‘only’ 209 weeks in total although the 13-time Roland Garros champion can boast being a top 10 ever-present since April 2005.
He will, however, lose his world number two spot to Daniil Medvedev a week on Monday.
Federer, who returns to action in Doha next week after more than a year out of action to recover from two knee surgeries, will slip out of the top five on Monday.
Djokovic made his top 100 debut in July 2005, just weeks after Nadal had won his first Roland Garros.
He was top 50 in June 2006, top 20 for the first time in October 2006 and top 10 by March 2007.
He first became world number one at the age of 24 on July 4, 2011, the day after winning Wimbledon for the first time, beating Nadal in the final.
Only a six-month injury absence in 2017 saw his ranking plunge, all the way to 22 the following summer.
It was just a blip — Djokovic was back at number one again by November and with the exception of November 2019 until January last year, when Nadal reclaimed pole position, he has been rock solid.
Few would bet against Djokovic, who in 2016 was the first man to break the $100 million prize money barrier, ending his career with more Slams than Federer and Nadal.
In head-to-heads, he leads Federer 27-23 and has won all six of their last meetings at the majors, including 2019’s epic Wimbledon final where he saved two match points.
Federer hasn’t beaten Djokovic at the Slams since Wimbledon in 2012.
Against Nadal, he has a 29-27 lead and is still one of only two men to have beaten the Spaniard at Roland Garros since 2005.
At least Nadal, however, can boast comfortably seeing off Djokovic in the 2020 Roland Garros final, denying the Serb the opportunity to become the first man in half a century to win all four Slams more than once.
Djokovic, whose lone French Open title came in 2016, has comfortably more Australian Opens than Federer (six) and Nadal (one).
His Wimbledon total stands at five to Federer’s eight and Nadal’s two.
At the US Open, he has three to Federer’s five and Nadal’s four.
“Obviously I have in my mind to win more Grand Slam titles and to break records.
“Until I retire from the tour, I will be devoting most of my attention and energy to winning the other major titles,” Djokovic said.

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Medvedev confirmed to break ‘Big Four’ 15-year rankings grip | Tennis News – Times of India

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PARIS: Russia’s Daniil Medvedev will take the world number two ranking on March 15, the ATP said Saturday, and become the first man outside the sport’s ‘Big Four’ to occupy the spot in almost 16 years.
The 25-year-old Russian will replace Rafael Nadal as the number two behind Novak Djokovic who on Monday will set a record himself for total weeks in the top spot with 311.
Since July 25, 2005, only Djokovic, Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray have made the top two.
“With the release of next week’s @atptour draws, @DaniilMedwed is confirmed to become World No. 2 on 15 March,” the ATP tweeted.

“Medvedev will be the 1st player in the Top 2 since 25 July 2005 other than the Big 4 of @DjokerNole, @RafaelNadal, @rogerfederer and @andy_murray.”
Medvedev, who was runner-up to Djokovic at the Australian Open final last month, would have taken the number two ranking this week had he made the final in Rotterdam.
However, he lost in straight sets to Dusan Lajovic in the first round.



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Novak Djokovic confirms return to Tour at Miami Open | Tennis News – Times of India

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World number one Novak Djokovic has said he will return to the court at this month’s Miami Open having recuperated from a muscle tear suffered during his Australian Open title defence.
The 33-year-old Serbian suffered the injury during a third round match at Melbourne Park but that did not stop him from clinching a record-extending ninth Australian Open title and his 18th Grand Slam.
He will surpass Roger Federer‘s all-time record for most weeks as ATP world number one on Monday, holding the top spot for the 311th week.
According to a partial schedule posted on his website, Djokovic is entered for the ATP Masters 1000 event on the hardcourts in Miami from March 22-April 4. It is the first of three events he will play in before heading to Europe for the claycourt swing ahead of the French Open in end May.
From Miami, where he has won six titles, Djokovic will head to Monaco for the Monte-Carlo Masters, running from April 11-18, before returning home to Belgrade for the ATP 250 Serbia Open.
The Tour is returning to Belgrade for the first time since 2012, and the Serbia Open will be held at Djokovic’s tennis center from April 19-25.

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