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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Red-hot Djokovic hoping for 'final push' for Serbia in Davis Cup

Red-hot Djokovic hoping for 'final push' for Serbia in Davis Cup

Published Nov 22, 2023 11:53 pm

At A Glance

  • The 36-year-old great has won three Grand Slams this year, with an all-time best tally of 24 and clinched his seventh ATP Finals title on Sunday in Turin, beating both Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.

MALAGA (AFP) -- Novak Djokovic said on Wednesday, Nov. 22, he is aiming to carry his superb form into the Davis Cup and winning the competition with Serbia this week is one of his "greatest goals."

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Serbia's Novak Djokovic (AFP)

The 36-year-old great has won three Grand Slams this year, with an all-time best tally of 24 and clinched his seventh ATP Finals title on Sunday in Turin, beating both Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.

Djokovic and Serbia, who last won the Davis Cup in 2010, face Great Britain on Thursday in the last eight.

"It's the last week of the season, so one final push is necessary from each one of us," world number one Djokovic told reporters.

"I couldn't be happier with the way I performed in the semifinals and finals of Turin, so hopefully I'm carrying this kind of energy and performance level to the Davis Cup."

He continued: "As I said many months ago, actually (at) the beginning of the season, the Davis Cup has been and is one of my greatest goals of this season and always is. Hopefully I will be able to contribute to win."

Djokovic said he loves the Costa del Sol, where his brother lives, calling it "one of the most beautiful places in the world" but was critical of the tournament being held in the same country four years running.

Since the Davis Cup changed format in 2019 the finals have been held twice in Madrid and twice in Malaga.

"(Allowing) one nation to host every year the last 8 for now three, four years in a row ... Madrid, Malaga, is too much, in my opinion," said Djokovic.

"It has to travel. This is a competition that is played globally.

"I feel like the Davis Cup Finals, at least if you're going to keep it (with a) final four, final eight, should travel every year. It shouldn't stay in one place more than a year."

Serbia faces a British team aiming to win the trophy for the first time since 2014 but shorn of former world number one Andy Murray and Dan Evans, who was crucial in reaching the finals.

Cameron Norrie and Jack Draper are likely to be selected in the singles rubbers and Djokovic noted they are both left-handers.

"I haven't faced a lefty in a while, I don't think any of us has played too many left-handed players lately," he added.

"It was not easy to find a left-handed sparring partner, but we did well for today and tomorrow."

Related Tags

Davis Cup Novak Djokovic
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