TENNIS ATP PARIS-BERCY – Novak Djokovic talked with the international media ahead of his debut in Paris Bercy about his life after the birth of his son Stefan last week. He will defend his Paris Bercy title won last year. He will have to defend his position as World Number 1 player from the assault of Roger Federer who reduced his gap to 490 points in the ATP Race to London. Diego Sampaolo
Novak Djokovic will defend the title at the Palais Omnisport in Paris Bercy won last year in his first tournament since the birth of his first son Stefan Djokovic. During the press conference on the eve of his debut in the French capital Djokovic reflected on his new life as father, his family life and the positive impact of his child on his tennis career.
“I would like to be with Stefan and my wife every single day but sometimes that’s not possible because the baby is too young to travel yet. I will try to have my family travel as much as they can. It’s important to participate in my child’s life as much as I can. Starting from next next year. we will try to be together. It’s not easy, the kind of lifestyle that a tennis player has. There is a lot of travelling, a lot of hotels and a lot of planes. It’s not the healthiest option for a baby”, said Djokovic
Djokovic leads by just 490 points over Roger Federer in the ATP Race to London after the Swiss legend won his 82nd title in his hometown tournament in Basel by beating David Goffin 6-2 6-2 in just 52 minutes. Federer won five ATP titles and more match wins than any other player this year. Both Federer and Djokovic won five titles but the Basel player leads 3-2 in their head-to-head matches this year. Djokovic won a epic five-set match in the Wimbledon final, the best match of the year so far. Federer has not won any Grand Slam tournaments but he showed an incredible consistency at 33 years of age after many had predicted the end of his legendary career at the end of a difficult 2013 season which saw him fall behind to eighth.
“This year Roger came out strong again competing for Grand Slams again and for Number 1 in the world. I don’t think age is an issue for him. He is playing some of his best tennis this year. I never ruled him out. I have a lot of respect for what he does”, said Djokovic.
Djokovic is the third top-five player after Federer and Stan Wawrinka to become father.
“There are many other players who have the similar situation. I try to talk with them. In terms of my approach to tennis, nothing is really changing. I am still fighting and competing to be World Number 1”, said Djokovic
The Serb will take on Phillip Kohlschreiber who eased past Roland Garros doubles winner Edouard Roger-Vasselin with 6-3 6-1. If he beats Kohlschreiber, Djokovic will play against either John Isner or Gael Monfils before a possible quarter final against either Andy Murray or Grigor Dimitrov. Murray could be a tough rival to beat in this period after the Scotsman won a epic three set final in Valencia against Tommy Robredo in which he saved five match points. His possible rivals in the semifinal could be David Ferrer, Kei Nishikori, Jo Wilfred Tsonga or Giles Simon (finalist in Shanghai against Roger Federer). Federer will debut against either Jeremy Chardy or Kenny de Schepper before facing either Fabio Fognini or Ivo Karlovic (in a possible re-match of the Basel three.set semifinal against the Croatian big server). Federer could face Milos Raonic in the quarter finals and Stan Wawrinka or Tomas Berdych in the semifinals.
In the Monday matches the highlight was Sam Querrey’s win over 2012 Bercy finalist Jerzy Janowicz in three sets with 6-7 6-2 6-4. Querrey, who beat Djokovic in the quarter finals in Paris Bercy two years ago after losing the first set, lost the first set at the tie-break in which the Pole won four consecutive points to take a 6-3 lead before closing it out when Querrey made a double fault. Querrey bounced back breaking Janowicz twice before closing out the second set with an ace to force the match to the decider. Querrey got a break in the fourth game of the third set to go up 2-1 before converting his second match point with a forehand winner. The US player, who recently won three ATP Challengers this year, will face this year’s Shanghai semifinalist Feliciano Lopez.
Austrian rising star Dominic Thiem, who reached the fourth round at this year’s US Open, battled past Aleksander Dolgopolov with 6-2 4-6 6-0. Thiem, the youngest player in the top-50, will face Stan Wawrinka in a re.match of this year’s Madrid match won by the Austrian player. In the Spanish capital Thiem scored his first ever win over a top-10 player.
Richard Gasquet bounced back from losing the first set against Denis Istomin at the tie-break to draw level by winning the second set with 6-2. Istomin was broken twice to go down 0-4 before withdrawing from the match because of an injury. Gasquet will face Roberto Bautista Agut in the second round. Santiago Giraldo beat Mikhail Youzhny 6-2 6-4. Jack Sock cruised past Pablo Andujar 6-2 6-1. Jurgen Melzer beat Guillermo Garcia Lopez 6-4 6-1. Adrian Mannarino won the all-French match with Pierre Hugues Herbert 7-6 6-3.
