The Djoker once again caused misery to his favorite victim on Thursday. 20-0. This is the balance sheet of Novak Djokovic facing Gaël Monfils From now on. Never in the history of Tennis has a player lost so much against the same opponent without even winning once. At theATP 250 de Brisbaneduring the second round, the Serb dictated his law 6-3, 6-3. Authoritarian, he had to face a My son courageous and far from ridiculous but not strong enough to disrupt this Djokovic-there. The start of the season for the world number 7 is perfect. Next step: Reilly Opelka Friday in quarters before maybe… Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in semis.
Video – Djokovic after his victory against Monfils in Brisbane
“Monfils is so athletic, he’s a great guy.”
At a press conference, Djokovic returned to his copy. “I mean his game suits me well. To a certain extent, the more you win against someone, the happier you are to play against them (smile). Yeah, I mean we’ve had some really tough battles. There were a few games where he was down to one point. I think in Dubai a few years ago he had two match points and should have won that match. It just happens. When you are in a bad situation, it also affects you mentally. But I think he deserves credit for continuing to play at such a high level at his age. He’s so athletic, he’s a great guy. He is a very likeable man who is loved by millions, and not without reason. He is a great entertainer, great charisma. He’s the best dancer on the tour, that’s for sure. He traveled around the world. He has been a top 10 player. He has participated in many Grand Slam tournaments. He likes big stages, big stadiums.”
He then continued. “In a way, it was a special match to play a 37-year-old against a 38-year-old on tour for the first tournament in God knows what season of our careers. I mean I enjoyed this match. I think it was a good quality match. I think he had a few loose games in the first and second set, which allowed me to break his serve. I think it was closer than the score indicated.”
“Opelka, one of the best servers in the game”
The Serb then elaborated on his state of mind and his next target: Opelka. “You want to show yourself and others that you are capable of converting break points when they present themselves. I know I have a good reputation with my feedback. It’s very good. You still have to make shots. You always have to put pressure on your opponent. I think my return was really excellent today. I was very happy. very happy. Every time I could get my racket on a ball, I played it. This put a lot of pressure on his serve, which was very good today. on his serve, which was really good today. He had a high percentage of first serves.
In the quarters, I face Opelka, one of the best servers in the game. He is an excellent player. Again, he’s someone who has struggled with injuries in recent years. He is terribly frustrating to play against, like Isner on his best days. Mpetshi Perricard too. A young one, a big one, a huge service. Sometimes you walk more in return games than you actually play. You have to get used to it. When the opportunity presents itself, in the tie-break or perhaps before, we try to put pressure on our server. This is what I have managed to do most of the time in my career. I think my performance tonight gives me a lot of confidence for tomorrow.”
“This is the first time my family has accompanied me”
Absence is already with his children and his wife. A first for Djokomore accustomed to seeing his wife present at the end of the Australian Open. “This is the first time that my family has accompanied me, my children, my wife. I was actually a little surprised, because my wife told me she wanted to take the kids on the road and come to Australia. I didn’t expect it, because I know it’s a long journey, with school and everything else. There are many challenges as a parent. I do what I want here. If I have a game day, I spend time preparing for that game and everything else. Obviously, she has to take care of the children. She is there to support me, to try to give me the love and the energy, with the children, that I need to play my best tennis. So far it works great. I feel good on the court. I play very well. It allows me, first of all, not to feel guilty about being so far away for so long. I felt it, I must admit, when I visited Australia in previous years. I was away for four or five weeks. Every time you have to separate from your children and your wife, there are many tears to be shed. It’s not easy. Then you start to wonder why I have to start again and again. It makes things so much easier for me, obviously knowing that when I get home they will be there waiting for me. I am more motivated. I am also calmer, more serene. I have a good time with them. It also allows me to not think about tennis 24/7, to have time to release tension and really, yes, be involved in their time. So far, it’s a good balance.”. Enough to motivate him even more.
