Friday 20 December 2013

Tennis. Novak Djokovic targets Grand Slams

Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic says he will focus on adding to his six Grand Slam titles, rather than regaining top spot in the world rankings, in 2014.
The Serb, 26, beat world number one Rafael Nadal 6-3 6-4 to retain his ATP World Tour Finals title on Monday.
And Djokovic, now unbeaten in 22 matches, is targeting a fourth straight Australian Open title in January.

Djokovic scores a hat-trick

  • Djokovic becomes the seventh player to win the season-ending title at least three times
  • The Serb joins a list which includes Roger Federer (six titles), Ivan Lendl and Pete Sampras (five each), Ilie Nastase (four) and Boris Becker and John McEnroe (three each)
"The Grand Slams are the tournaments where I want to win, where I want to get my hands on the title," he said.
"That will be my highest priority for next year."
Djokovic lost in the semi-finals at the French Open and the finals of Wimbledon and the US Open in 2013, before finishing the ATP season with a superb run.
"It was very satisfying," he said. "After the last two and a half months, even more.
"But the only thing I'm not as satisfied about is the fact that I lost the three big matches in the three Grand Slams."
Djokovic, who was heading straight from London to Belgrade for the Davis Cup final against the Czech Republic, paid tribute to an incredible comeback by Nadal in 2013.
The Spaniard took the number one ranking from Djokovic last month after winning 10 titles, including the French and US Opens, since returning from a serious knee injury in February.
"The year-end number one is deservedly in Nadal's hands because he had two Grand Slam wins, the best season out of all players, the most titles," said Djokovic.
Djokovic stamped his authority on the final in the first three games by hitting the ball and moving so well. Rafa came back into it but it was a match too far for him. He deserves to be world number one but indoors Djokovic remains the man to beat.
"You cannot question that."
Looking ahead to the Davis Cup final, which begins on Friday, Djokovic added: "God knows if we are going to have as a country another opportunity, another generation like this, to win a Davis Cup title at home.
"I'm going to do my best to recover the next three days and get ready for that one."
Nadal, 27, admitted he had been outplayed on Monday but insisted he was not upset to miss out on winning the one significant title to have eluded him.
"That's the sport," said the Spaniard. "Seriously, I think it's not going to change my career, winning or losing today.
"I will not be a better player, talking about the history, with that match or without that match. Maybe I am wrong, but that's my feeling.
"That's fine. I normally accept very well the losses. I am not very disappointed.
"I know that I was not the favourite for the match, even if I tried with the right attitude, fighting for every moment, trying to be positive in every moment, even if the match was not going the way that I would like."

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