Novak Djokovic “Perfect” Against Rafael Nadal - Mondays with Bob Greene

Mondays with Bob Greene

STARS

Novak Djokovic beat Rafael Nadal 6-1 6-2 to win the Qatar Exxonmobil Open in Doha, Qatar

Victoria Azarenka beat Angelique Kerber 6-3 6-1 to win the Brisbane International women’s singles at Brisbane, Australia

Milos Raonic beat Roger Federer 6-4 6-4 to win the Brisbane International men’s singles in Brisbane, Australia

Agnieszka Radwanska beat Alison Riske 6-3 6-2 to win the Shenzhen Open in Shenzhen, China

Stan Wawrinka beat Borna Coric 6-3 7-5 to win the Aircel Chennai Open in Chennai, India

Sloane Stephens beat Julia Goerges 7-5 6-2 to win the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand

OTHER

Australia Green beat Ukraine 2-0 to win the Hopman Cup in Perth, Australia

SAYING

“I’m playing the tennis of my life, and I will try to nurture and cherish those moments on the court. … I know that it can’t go forever, but I’m not thinking too much ahead of myself.” – Novak Djokovic, who beat Rafael Nadal to capture the title in Doha, Qatar.

“I played against a player who did everything perfect. I don’t know anybody who played tennis like this ever. When I say perfect, it’s not one thing in particular. It’s everything. If not, it’s not perfect.” – Rafael Nadal, talking about Novak Djokovic’s performance in the Doha final.

“With the difficulties I’ve had last year, it’s maybe a good way for me to show the other guys I will face going in Melbourne that I’ve got my stuff back together and I can play some good tennis again.” – Milos Raonic, after beating Roger Federer to win the Brisbane International men’s singles title.

“I’m always trying to improve. I’m trying to move better, trying to play more aggressive with a better forehand and serve better. I’m very happy with my serve this week. I’m happy to get the trophy again. It’s a great feeling.” – Stan Wawrinka, who won his third straight Aircel Chennai Open.

“I had the opportunity to play him last year and it was a different level for me today. I’ve improved so much.” – Bernard Tomic, after upsetting Kei Nishikori 6-3 1-6 6-3 at the Brisbane International.

“That was in, if you want to challenge.” – Jack Sock, telling opponent Lleyton Hewitt that his serve was good despite it being called a fault. Hewitt challenged and the call was reversed. Hewitt won the Hopman Cup match 7-5 6-4.

“I did promise a few of my friends that next time I played (Andy) Murray I would beat him, and there you go. I’ve improved a lot. I’ve put a lot of hard work in over the off-season and it has paid off.” – Nick Kyrgios, after beating Murray in a Hopman Cup match.

“In the deciding points I was a little bit better and I think that’s why the score was the way it was. It made it look easier than the actual match was.” – Agnieszka Radwanska, who beat Alison Riske to win the Shenzhen Open.

“We have a really long season – I have to play all the way until October – so to win a tournament in the first week of the year is amazing. But I’m going to have many more opportunities throughout the year, and I’m looking forward to all of them. It’s easier to look at it that way.” – Sloane Stephens, following her winning in Auckland, New Zealand.

“It was a constant battle with pain, with my own fear, like, ‘Is it going to hurt again? I don’t want to go through that.’ But it took me to a point where I decided OK, I got to stop and try to figure out and actually change my life around the tennis court. Now I found what works for me, what makes me feel comfortable, calm, at peace. So it’s good.” – Victoria Azarenka, after winning her first WTA title in 2½ years.

“It wasn’t my night tonight. I lost two finals.” – Angelique Kerber, who was runner-up in both singles and doubles at the Brisbane International.

SPECTACULAR START

What a way to start a new year. Ranked number one in the world already, Novak Djokovic played a “perfect game” to rout Rafael Nadal and win the Qatar Open. And Djokovic warned everyone else that he “expected” to play at the same level at this month’s Australian Open. “I’m hoping that I can actually peak and play as well as I did today in Melbourne,” Djokovic said after clobbering Nadal 6-1 6-2. “I know nobody playing tennis like this ever,” Nadal said. Djokovic sailed through the first tournament of 2016 without dropping a set in five matches while winning his 60^th career title. And he edged ahead in his rivalry against Nadal, winning 24 matches to 23 for the Spaniard. Djokovic is coming off a 2015 where he won three of the four Grand Slam tournaments. And he has a niggling arm injury which he has received treatment for. “I don’t think it’s too serious,” the Serb said. “I don’t see it as a hindrance, possible hindrance for the Australian Open. It appears time to time, but it’s nothing that really is major that I will be concerned about.” Despite the drubbing in the final, Nadal came away from the Qatar ExxonMobil Open feeling pretty good. “The real thing is I had a positive week,” the Spaniard said. “I am playing well and I’m gonna keep working hard to try to be ready for Australia. And I think I will be. I am motivated for it.”

STANDING TALL

Putting on a masterful display of clean hitting from the baseline, Milos Raonic stopped Roger Federer to win the Brisbane International. The victory avenged Raonic’s loss to Federer in the title match a year ago. Federer, who was brilliant in his semifinal win over Dominic Thiem, showed none of that game against his Canadian opponent. The Swiss star struggled all week with flu-like symptoms but said that had nothing to do with his loss. “It was a tough match,” Federer said. “My legs were a little bit wobbly. Still, considering the week I’ve had, I’m actually quite happy.” Raonic needed a medical timeout of his own for treatment on his right leg three games into the second set. Although Federer had a break point in the next game, Raonic held and ended up wrapping up the match in one hour, 27 minutes.

STAN AGAIN

The Chennai Open belongs to Stan Wawrinka. Switzerland’s other top player won his third consecutive Chennai Open title by beating Borna Coric in straight sets. It was the fourth time Wawrinka has triumphed in India’s only ATP World Tour event, capturing his first title in 2011. Coric, who turned 19 in November, played in his first final, becoming the youngest ATP World Tour finalist since Kei Nishikori in 2008. But Wawrinka, ranked fourth in the world, one spot behind fellow countryman Roger Federer – was way too strong, needing only an hour and 26 minutes to win the title. Wawrinka has now won his last 12 matches and 24 consecutive sets at Chennai.

SHENZHEN CHAMPION

Agnieszka Radwanska has begun her season by capturing her 18^th WTA career title and moving past Maria Sharapova into fourth place in the rankings. Still, the winning Pole had nothing but kind words for her opponent, Alison Riske. “I think Alison was really playing solid tennis today,” Radwanska said. “She has a very powerful game from the baseline. I was really struggling from the baseline. I was really in a lot of trouble there.” It didn’t show as Radwanska easily polished off her opponent 6-3 6-2 in the Shenzhen title match. “My serve really helped me today,” the champion said. “Also, in the deciding points I was a little bit better.”

STEPHENS TRIUMPHANT

The Auckland Classic may not be the Australian Open, but it’s given Sloane Stephens another big shot of confidence. Three years ago Stephens shot to prominence when she upset Serena Williams at the Australian Open. She didn’t win her first WTA title until last August, and now has her second, beating unseeded German Julia Goerges. And she had to go overtime to do it. Stephens first had to wrap up her rain-interrupted semifinal against Caroline Wozniacki before taking on Goerges. “You can never prepare for playing a set and then rain, then finishing the match the next morning and coming back again in the afternoon,” Stephens said. “You just have to keep going and do your best.”

Following her victory, Stephens pulled out of this week’s Hobart International with a viral illness.

SURGING AZARENKA

Has Victoria Azarenka solved the injury problems that saw her ranking drop to 22^nd in the world? The former world number one captured her first tournament title in 2½ years when she won the Brisbane International women’s singles by downing fourth-seeded Angelique Kerber. “It feels like an accomplishment … I’m not sure I feel relief,” Azarenka said. “I wanted to win the title, but I didn’t fell “If this doesn’t happen the world is going to end.” I think that’s when you get like relief.” The winner lost just 17 games in five matches, equaling Serena Williams’ record for fewest games conceded by a winner at the tournament. Despite the loss, Kerber came away feeling pretty good about her week. “For the beginning, it’s not bad,” the German said. “I reached the final for the first time in Brisbane and for the first tournament of the year. I’m really proud actually about that.”

STAYING HOME

The world’s ninth-ranked woman won’t be playing in the year’s first Grand Slam tournament. Lucie Safarova said she has not yet regained full fitness following a bacterial infection last year. “As an athlete I’m used to fighting, usually on the court to get a win. Today it’s off court to get my health back,” the 28-year-old Czech said. “I’m really said I will miss Australia this year. … I hope I will be back in February.” Last year Safarova reached the French Open final where she lost to top-ranked Serena Williams. And she teamed up with American Bethanie Mattek-Sands to win the Australian Open and French Open women’s doubles titles in 2015.

SERENA HURTING

It was not the way Serena Williams wanted to start her season. The world’s top-ranked woman player pulled out of her first match at the Hopman Cup because of inflammation in her left knee. At the time she was trailing Jarmila Wolfe 7-5 2-1. Williams had missed the United States team’s opening round loss because of the illness. “I just have some inflammation that’s been going away very slowly,” Williams said. “It’s going away, but just needs a little more time.” Williams had missed the team’s first-round matches because of her knee problem. “I’ve been training really hard during the off-season,” she said. “Really pushing myself beyond the limits. I just think a day off or two will make a world of difference.”

SICK BAY

Lucie Safarova and Serena Williams weren’t the only top female players on the injury list just a week or so before the beginning of the Australian Open. Romania’s Simona Halep has been suffering with a left Achilles tendon injury, while Garbiñe Muguruza of Spain has been hobbled by foot problems, Petra Kvitova withdrew from her first-round match because of a gastrointestinal illness and Russia’s Maria Sharapova said she hurt her left forearm in practice. “This injury is very difficult,” Halep said after pulling out of her opening match. “I thought I was ready, but I can’t do a full match.”

Both Kvitova and Agnieszka Radwanska pulled out of this week’s Sydney International. “I’m really disappointed to have to withdraw from the Sydney International but unfortunately I am still not feeling well,” said Kvitova, who was the defending champion. Radwanska withdrew with a left leg injury. “I am feeling very confident in my game at the moment and the results are there,” Radwanska said, “but after five matches in the past week my leg needs some recovery time.”

SEEKING DOLLARS

Novak Djokovic is back doing impressions again. The world’s top-ranked player did it this time in the name of charity. Raising money for World Vision Australia, a charity dedicated to overcoming poverty and injustice, Djokovic appeared in a 30-second clip assuming the roles of Pat Cash, John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg, each famed for their eccentric headbands. The campaign encourages people to share their most creative headband photos to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #Headbandfor Good with ANZ Australia donating $2 Australian to World Vision Australia for each one.

SUCCESSFUL WEEK

Behind the impressive play of Nick Kyrgios, the Australia Green team captured the mixed-team Hopman Cup exhibition title in Perth, Australia. In the final, Kyrgios and Daria Gavrilova each won their singles matches in straight sets to beat Ukraine’s Alexandr Dolgopolov and Elina Svitolina respectively. During the week Kyrgios also knocked off Great Britain’s Andy Murray. In the final, Kyrgios stopped Dolgopolov 6-3 6-4 after Gavrilova had knocked off Svitolina 6-4 7-6 (6). It was the first time a team from Australia had won the Hopman Cup since 1999. Kyrgios dedicated the win to Australian coach Darren Tandy, who died last month of colon cancer. “It means a lot. It’s my first real title that I’ve won,” Kyrgios said. “It’s the perfect way to start off the year. I haven’t lost a match yet. I’m riding a lot of confidence going into the Aussie summer. I’m just really happy.”

STOPPED

Great Britain’s Naomi Broady tried to get her opponent, Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia, disqualified from their ASB Classic match in Auckland, New Zealand, charging Ostapenko of deliberately throwing her racket and hitting a ball boy. The incident occurred in a second-set tiebreak when Ostapenko lost her racquet while chasing down a serve. The ball boy was summoned to tell his side of the story and eventually the tournament referee and officials assessed Ostapenko a code violation. She insisted all along that the racket accidentally slipped out of hand. Broady held on to win the second-set tiebreak and then won the third set to capture the match. The two shook hands but then had to be separated by the chair umpire. “It was quite clear that she threw her racket and it hit a ball kid, which should be disqualification,” Broady said. “Jelena said (to the chair umpire) it slipped from her hand, so it was just a code violation or something. On the replay it is quite clear, but that’s tennis and I managed to keep myself together quite well.”

STILL WINNING

The off-season didn’t hurt the winning ways of Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza. The two stretched their winning streak to 26 consecutive matches – the longest doubles winning streak in 22 years – as they captured their 10^th WTA title together in Brisbane. Hingis and Mirza bested Germany’s Angelique Kerber and Andrea Petkovic after falling behind 4-2 in the opening set. The winners rattled off 11 of the last 13 games to down the Germans 7-5 6-1. “They’re obviously very good players, so we knew we had to come out and play our best,” Mirza said. “We let the lead go a little bit after 2-0, and we were both trying to find our form again on the court. It was big we broke on the deuce point at 6-5, and after that the tide really changed in our favor.” Hingis and Mirza’s winning streak is the longest in women’s tennis since Gigi Fernández and Natasha Zvereva won 28 consecutive matches in 1994.

SWITCHING FORMAT?

Is it time for the Davis Cup and Fed Cup schedules to be rearranged? David Haggerty, president of the International Tennis Federation (ITF), has raised the prospect of having both team events play their finales on neutral soil with four finalists. Haggerty said the ITF hasn’t made any changes yet, but is looking at a “final four” concept as part of moves to “polish and update” the competitions. “What would be very interesting to me is a final four concept,” Haggerty said. “In the final week, generally in November, we would have the final four teams come together in a neutral location somewhere to be determined. We would be able to plan in advance where that is. We could have the semifinals in the first three days, a day of rest and then three days for the final.” Another idea would be to give the final two teams a bye in the first round of the following year. Haggerty said any changes would have to be made in the interest of fans and players. “”We’ve got to make sure what we do resonates with the fans and spectators,” he said. “It has to be player-friendly so that they will want to play in the competition every year. … We also have to collaborate with the tours and the Grand Slams to have the whole tennis body embrace whatever it is that we do.”

SHARED PERFORMANCES

Auckland: Elise Mertens and An-Sophie Mestach beat Danka Kovinic and Barbora Strycova 2-6 6-3 10-5 (match tiebreak)

Doha: Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez beat Philipp Petzschner and Alexander Peya 6-4 6-3

Brisbane (men): Henri Kontinen and John Peers beat James Duckworth and Chris Guccione 7-6 (4) 6-1

Brisbane (women): Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza beat Angelique Kerber and Andrea Petkovic 7-5 6-1

Chennai: Oliver Marach and Fabrice Martin beat Austin Krajicek and Benoit Paire 6-3 7-5

Shenzhen: Vania King and Monica Niculescu beat Xu Yi-Fan and Zheng Saisai 6-1 6-4

SURFING

Auckland: www.asbclassic.co.nz/

Sydney: www.apiainternational.com.au/

Hobart: www.hobartinternational.com.au/

Melbourne: www.ausopen.com/index.html