The ultimate goal: Melbourne | LesNews

Novak Djokovic started the new season with a victory at theATP 250 de Brisbanewhere he beat the local Rinky Hijikata on a double 6-3thus qualifying for the round of 16 where he will face Frenchman Gaël Monfils.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion also won a doubles match alongside Nick Kyrgiosand shared his thoughts on the dynamics and differences between the two formats during a press conference.

“It’s obviously a different match, the way you feel on the court, the way you play, the approach to the warm-up, as well as the preparation. I don’t play a lot of doubles, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to play with Nick when he came back. I think a lot of people were excited to see us on the court together. I really liked it. Honestly, it was a great doubles match. I’m also looking forward to tomorrow’s,” said the ten-time Australian Open champion about his doubles clash with the Australian.

Novak Djokovic: My serve, both in doubles and singles, was excellent. I worked a lot on it.

The seventh ranked player in the world shared his thoughts on his first singles match of this new season. “As for the singles match, I was really solid. Hijikata played well. After an 0-3 start, he began to raise his level. For my part, I started very well and maintained a good level throughout the match, even if I experienced a few drops. He served well. He made me work, especially in the second set. From 3-3 in the second set, I improved my game, broke him twice and finished the match. My service helped me a lot. Whether doubles or singles, my service was exceptional. I worked on this. It’s great to see that I can get at least one or two free points in every match. This helps tremendously on a surface like this. It’s a good start, a real good start to the season,” detailed the Serb from Belgrade.

Djokovic is looking to fine-tune his preparation for the first Grand Slam of the year, where he will attempt to regain his title, currently in the hands of Jannik Sinner, who beat him in the semi-finals of the oceanic event last year. pass. The Serbian is participating in Brisbane for the second time in his career, with a clear goal in mind.

“I really want to try to go as far as possible in this tournament. I know a lot of people come to see me play and pay for their tickets to do so, they don’t just want to watch me practice, they want to see me compete and try to win. I approach every match with this attitude, but the main objective remains Melbourne, refining my shots and making sure I am in top shape for the first match in Melbourne,” said the holder of 99 titles.

Novak Djokovic: I mainly focus on myself, on how to improve myself physically and mentally

At 37 and at the end of his career, Djokovic continues to refine his game, seeking to improve in all aspects beyond his shots. “I’m not aiming to completely transform my game. I’m not going to become Giovanni with two first serves and a move to the net, but I’m definitely looking to improve, even if it’s a small percentage, in each shot that I have in my game. Maybe elements that people don’t necessarily see, like my positioning on the court, transition play, tactics, are also areas that I am improving. I mainly focus on myself, on how I can progress physically and mentally,” concluded one of the big favorites for the Australian Open.