mtenis.com.pl

Serbia defeats Kazakhstan 2-1 in Madrid
Novak Djokovic did double duty on Wednesday in Madrid to lead Serbia into the semi-finals of the Davis Cup Finals.

Djokovic defeated Alexander Bublik 6-3, 6-4 in singles and quickly returned to the court to partner Nikola Cacic to a 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 victory against Andrey Golubev and Aleksandr Nedovyesov, giving Serbia a 2-1 victory against Kazakhstan.

"I'm proudest of the fighting spirit. We had a little drop energetically in the second set, but we managed to bounce back. The start of the third set was crucial the first couple of games to hold our nerves, try to switch the momentum to our side and that's what we managed," Djokovic said in his on-court interview. "I'm proud of Nikola, proud of this team and I think we deserve to be in the semi-finals."

<a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/nova ... iew'>Novak Djokovic</a>
Photo Credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Cacic and Djokovic lost a deciding doubles rubber in group play against Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz of Germany. This time, they came out on the winning end, with Cacic hitting a clutch forehand return to end the match.

"This is our third match played together and every match is better. We are getting better on the court," Cacic said. "We had a little bit of a problem in the second set actually, I got a little bit tight... But we managed to come back in the third set and I'm really happy."

Serbia had no margin for error after Mikhail Kukushkin secured a 7-6(5), 4-6, 7-6(11) triumph against Miomir Kecmanovic in the first rubber, which Kecmanovic served for in the third set.

But Djokovic was locked in throughout the day. The World No. 1 levelled the tie with a comprehensive performance against the big-serving Bublik, who even threw in an underarm serve in the penultimate game. Djokovic did not lose focus, closing out Bublik before coming back to produce a determined performance in the doubles rubber. Serbia will play Croatia in the semi-finals.

ATP Tour Season In Review: Best Rivalries
This week ATP Tour begins its annual season-in-review series, looking back at 2021’s best matches, biggest upsets, most dramatic comebacks and more. This week we look at the most compelling rivalries of the year, beginning with Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev. The players ended the year at No. 1 and No. 2 respectively in the FedEx ATP Rankings following a season in which they shared three high-stakes showdowns.

Throughout his career, Novak Djokovic has enjoyed epic rivalries with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. But with a new generation of stars on the rise, the Serbian is facing new threats, none bigger than from Daniil Medvedev.

The Russian ended the 2020 season by capturing the Nitto ATP Finals title, defeating Djokovic in the round-robin stage, which saw the Monte-Carlo resident enter the 2021 season having won three of his past four meetings against the World No. 1. By the start of the season Medvedev had narrowed his ATP Head2Head series deficit against Djokovic to 3-4.

Set on turning the tables, Djokovic faced Medvedev three times in 2021 in a determined mood. All meetings came in finals and both players adjusted tactics after earlier defeats to turn the tables on their rival.



Australian Open, Final, Djokovic d. Medvedev 7-5, 6-2, 6-2
Djokovic has made Melbourne a second home throughout his career, having dominated the first major of the season. The 34-year-old faced Medvedev in the championship match aiming to join 13-time Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal as only the second man to win nine or more titles at the same major event.

But unlike in previous years, the Serbian’s route to the final had been anything but smooth. After battling past Taylor Fritz in five sets and Milos Raonic and Alexander Zverev in four, many gave Medvedev a big chance, with the World No. 2 dispatching Andrey Rublev and Stefanos Tsitsipas without dropping a set. Medvedev was also on a 20-match winning streak, having helped guide Russia to the ATP Cup title earlier in February to continue his red-hot end-of-season form from 2020.

However, Djokovic reminded everyone why he is the king in Australia, producing a masterclass against Medvedev in the final to capture his 18th major title. The top seed marched to a 3-0 lead within 10 minutes and never looked back, returning with depth and accuracy to secure his victory.

With Djokovic and Medvedev both possessing rock solid backhands from the baseline, the World No. 1 targeted the Russian’s forehand throughout, extracting 33 errors from that wing as he dictated the forehand exchanges.

"Everyone talks about the new generation coming and taking over us, but realistically that isn't happening still,” Djokovic said. “We can talk about it all day but with all my respect to the other guys, they still have a lot of work to do. I'm not going to stand here and hand it over to them. I'm going to make them work their ass off for that."

Djokovic
Photo Credit: Mackenzie Sweetnam/Getty Images

US Open, Final, Medvedev d. Djokovic 6-4, 6-4, 6-4
After meeting in the first major final of the season, the pair did not face each other again until the final major championship match of the year at the US Open. In that time, Djokovic had captured the trophy at Roland Garros and Wimbledon and was trying to become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win all four majors in one season.

The Serbian, who triumphed at Flushing Meadows in 2011, 2015 and 2018, was also aiming to break a tie with Federer and Nadal for the most major titles in history (20 each). Medvedev, meanwhile, was seeking his maiden Slam title and had swept through the draw for the loss of just one set.

With history beckoning and all eyes on Djokovic, Medvedev spoiled the party, stunning the World No. 1 in straight sets. The Russian, who lost to Nadal in the US Open final in 2019, controlled the match from the start as he changed up the tactics from his Australian Open defeat.

Medvedev successfully overloaded the Ad court with a foray of backhand-to-backhand exchanges, where he could neutralise and frustrate Djokovic with his ultra-flat backhand that proved difficult to attack. The Serbian ended up hitting 39 more backhands than forehands in the match, something which helped Medvedev win the longer rallies. The 25-year-old hit 16 winners compared to Djokovic’s six and committed five fewer errors (33-38), serving out the clash at the second time of asking to secure his biggest career win.

“He had a lot of pressure,” Medvedev said. “I had a lot of pressure, too… I knew I cannot give him easy serves because that's what he likes. So that was the plan. Because of the confidence in a lot of tight moments, I managed to do it well.”

"I would like to say that tonight, even though I have not won the match, my heart is filled with joy and I'm the happiest man alive because you guys made me feel very special," Djokovic told the crowd. "You guys touched my soul. I've never felt like this in New York... I love you guys. Thank you so much for the support and everything you have done tonight for me. I love you and I'll see you soon."

You May Also Like: Medvedev Stuns Djokovic For US Open Title

Rolex Paris Masters, Final, Djokovic d. Medvedev 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
One day after clinching a record seventh year-end No. 1 finish in the FedEx ATP Rankings, Djokovic looked to create more history against Medvedev and put his US Open final defeat behind him as he changed up the chessboard to gain revenge.

Medvedev came into the match off the back of a straight-sets semi-final win against Alexander Zverev, while Djokovic had edged Hubert Hurkacz in the last four. It meant it was the first time the Paris final had featured the top two players in the FedEx ATP Rankings since 1990.

In an entertaining match, Djokovic served and volleyed 22 times, winning 27 of 36 points at the net and striking 38 winners, dominating Medvedev in rallies under five shots (54 to 34) as he disrupted Medvedev’s rhythm from the baseline.

Djokovic’s first volley was cleverly hit short in the court with angle, which worked with Medvedev standing very deep in the court to return serve.

It was Djokovic’s 48th match win of a standout season and he broke a tie with Nadal for the most ATP Masters 1000 titles, lifting his 37th crown.

“I went back and reviewed the final of the US Open to see what I did wrong and what I did right,” Djokovic said. “I tried to read the patterns of his serve and the ball toss, maybe. I tried to look for the small details because it was a match of small margins. He started better, broke my serve in the first game and I came back. He served the first set out pretty comfortably, but I felt as if I was there.”

Djokovic vs. Medvedev In 2021

Event

Surface

Round

Winner

Score

Australian Open

Hard

Final

Djokovic

7-5, 6-2, 6-2

US Open

Hard Final
Medvedev

6-4, 6-4, 6-4

Rolex Paris Masters
Hard

Final

Djokovic

4-6, 6-3, 6-3

Serbian will set sights on Graf's record 377 weeks
Novak Djokovic today celebrates his 350th week atop the FedEx ATP Rankings, extending his record for the most weeks in top spot.

It was a historic season for the Serbian star, who finished year-end No. 1 for the record-breaking seventh time, moving ahead of his idol, Pete Sampras (6). On 8 March he broke a tie with Roger Federer (310 weeks) for the most weeks at World No. 1 since the inception of the FedEx ATP Rankings in 1973. Djokovic has not looked back since.

"It really excites me to walk the path of legends and giants of this sport," Djokovic said at the time. "To know that I have earned my place among them by following my childhood dream is a beautiful confirmation that when you do things out of love and passion, everything is possible."

You May Also Like: Djokovic Sets Record, 3 Debutants in Top 10 Year-End FedEx ATP Rankings
Djokovic finished 2021 with a 55-7 record, claiming major titles at the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon, while also lifting trophies at the Belgrade Open and the Rolex Paris Masters. His current stint at World No. 1 began nearly two years ago, on 3 February 2020.

The 34-year-old will have a chance to make more history next year. Djokovic can surpass WTA legend Stefanie Graf’s record for most weeks at World No. 1 in men's or women's tennis. The German held top spot for 377 weeks.

ATP Tour Season In Review: Best Rivalries

Continuing our Season In Review series, ATPTour.com revisits the fiercest rivalries of 2021. Today we feature Novak Djokovic vs. Alexander Zverev.

Prior to the 2021 season, Alexander Zverev had not beaten Novak Djokovic since 2018, when the German triumphed over the World No. 1 in the championship match at the Nitto ATP Finals.

However, that changed this year, with Zverev claiming significant victories over Djokovic, causing the Serbian problems with his big serving and heavy hitting as the pair went toe-to-toe in the latter stages of the biggest tour-level hard-court events.

ATP Cup, Round Robin, Djokovic d. Zverev 6-7(3), 6-2, 7-5
The season started with a bang for Djokovic and Zverev as they met in the round-robin stage at the ATP Cup in their first event of the year.

Serbia headed into the clash trailing Germany 0-1 in the tie after Jan-Lennard Struff beat Dusan Lajovic. In an entertaining match, Djokovic levelled the tie. In a close first set, neither faced a break point, with Zverev clinching it in a tie-break. However, Djokovic gained a foothold in the match as he adjusted his return position to great effect, taking a step back as he broke twice in the second set to level.

The 34-year-old then closed out the match and earned his 11th consecutive ATP Cup victory after breaking in the 11th game of the third set when Zverev struck two double faults.

“It was a great match,” Djokovic said. “I thought Sascha was serving terrific, both singles and doubles today. He was a set up… I just returned well when I needed to and closed out the match.

“He was serving tremendously well, big second serves. It's never easy playing against Sascha when he's in form, and he's in really good form. We pushed each other to the very limit, and I'm glad that I had such a battle with him.”


Australian Open, QF, Djokovic d. Zverev 6-7(6), 6-2, 6-4, 7-6(6)
The pair met again just 11 days later in Melbourne inside Rod Laver Arena, with Zverev seeking revenge. However, Djokovic found his top form as history repeated itself, with the German falling to the World No. 1 after claiming the opening set in a tie-break.

Djokovic entered the match having battled past Taylor Fritz in five sets and Milos Raonic in four sets. However, the top seed showed no signs of fatigue as he raised his level in the crucial moments, saving nine of 12 break points, including a set point at 5-6 in the fourth set.

The Serbian forced Zverev behind the baseline with deep returns and cut down on his unforced errors as the match progressed, showing greater consistency from the baseline to secure his second victory of the season against the German.

“Down to the very last shot, it was anybody’s game, anybody’s match,” Djokovic said. “[There were] a lot of nerves out there, a lot of pressure. Emotionally, feel a little drained, honestly. It was a great battle.”

You May Also Like: Djokovic Repeats Zverev Win, Reaches Ninth Australian Open Semi-final
Tokyo Olympics, SF, Zverev d. Djokovic 1-6, 6-3, 6-1
Having won the first three majors of the season at the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon, Djokovic’s pursuit of the Golden Slam was in top gear ahead of their clash at the Tokyo Olympics.

The Serbian had won his past 22 matches and looked well on course to make it 23 as he led by a set and a break. But Zverev did not read the script as he hit with power and depth to rally back and advance, snapping his five-match losing streak against the World No. 1.

Zverev was stronger on return than in their meeting at the Australian Open, winning 59 per cent (16/27) of points on Djokovic’s second serve as he stepped inside the baseline to dictate with his powerful groundstrokes from the first shot in the rally.

“It seemed it was impossible to beat him at this event, so I’m very happy right now,” Zverev said. “I know that he was chasing history, chasing the Golden Slam and was chasing the Olympics, but in these kind of moments me and Novak are very close. Of course I'm happy that I've won, but at the end of the day I know how Novak feels.”

The World No. 3 then defeated Karen Khachanov in the final to become the first German man to win an Olympic singles gold medal.

Zverev/Djokovic
Photo Credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

US Open, SF, Djokovic d. Zverev 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
With more history on the line, Djokovic gained his revenge against Zverev in a five-set classic at the US Open to move to within one win of capturing the Grand Slam.

Zverev had dropped just one set en route to the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows, while Djokovic needed four sets to overcome Holger Rune, Kei Nishikori, Jenson Brooksby and Matteo Berrettini as he struggled to find top form in New York.

In an intense match inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, Djokovic remained calmer in the key moments, breaking twice in the decider. He served impressively under pressure to emerge victorious as he stopped Zverev from reaching his second final in New York

"Alexander is a big champion,” Djokovic said. “He's someone that I admire on and off the court. We get along very well; he's definitely one of my best friends. We train a lot, we see each other a lot in Monaco, [which] he uses as a base. He's a great guy and an even better player. I knew coming onto the court today that it was going to be a great battle."

Nitto ATP Finals, SF, Zverev d. Djokovic 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-3
In the penultimate match of the ATP Tour season, Zverev had the final say in his epic 2021 rivalry with Djokovic. In front of a lively crowd at the Pala Alpitour in Turin, the 24-year-old fired 35 winners and saved a set point in the first set to down Djokovic and reach the championship match at the Nitto ATP Finals.

Zverev, who went on to win the title, ended Djokovic’s bid for a sixth season finale crown, which would have tied the 34-year-old with record-holder Roger Federer.

The German played with patience, power and precision against Djokovic, who struggled behind his second serve. The top seed won just 41 per cent of second-serve points in the match compared to Zverev, who won 63 per cent.

“Every time we play it takes hours,” Zverev said in his on-court interview. “I have not spent more time on court with anybody other than him this year. I am happy with the win.”


Djokovic vs. Zverev In 2021

Event

Surface

Round

Winner

Score

ATP Cup

Hard

Round Robin

Djokovic

6-7(3), 6-2, 7-5

Australian Open

Hard

QF

Djokovic 6-7(6), 6-2, 6-4, 7-6(6)
Tokyo Olympics

Hard SF Zverev 1-6, 6-3, 6-1
US Open Hard SF Djokovic 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
Nitto ATP Finals
Hard

SF

Zverev 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-3