He is unbelievable on and off the court

Novak Djokovic comes with a 90-minute delay in the interview room of Madrid - but at least he comes. In contrast to Rafael Nadal: The king of clay all the dates says on Monday, also the Training. Whether he can ever compete, is uncertain. He was suffering from a stomach virus, is rumored.

Djokovic, for once in casual clothes, cleaned up. He is in his 250. Week as the world rank list first, which is once again good news for the Serbs. Behind him, difficult weeks, in which he was, above all, as a tennis politicians active and distracted are suffered, including his achievements. He failed in Indian Wells (Kohlschreiber), Miami (Bautista Agut) and Monte Carlo (Medvedev) always before the semi-finals. He had had much else in mind, he explained repeatedly.

His world ranking-the anniversary recalls that he is still the tennis to rewrite history. Only four players were no longer the number 1 as he and the statistician for the ATP Tour calculated that he could overtake in September, Jimmy Connors (268), Ivan Lendl (270), in 2020, then to Pete Sampras (286), and, on 30. June, Roger Federer (310), the record holder.

These calculations would, however, seem somewhat premature. After the Serb 2017 had a break due to an elbow surgery six months, he was like before the French Open in 2018, up to rank 22. Only the return of his Coach, Marian Vajda, has brought him again on the road to Success - on the Express track. Already on 5. November the 4. Time on the summit.

The big three

Off-Grand-Slam-run tournaments of which he won the last 3 and a total of 15, he had to but some setbacks, by the end of 2018. After the first four months of the season, he leads the Annual rankings with 2405 points, Federer (2280) and Nadal (2145) but with a little distance.

"I have not played in the last two months, maybe my best Tennis . But I build myself slowly and hope that I will succeed here," says the 31-Year-old, having tournaments in Madrid the least wins of all nine Masters (24), but twice triumphed (2011/16) and today against Taylor Fritz starts. Although Nadal 2019, to celebrate not a tournament victory, and acts of hitting, pushing Djokovic the favorite to loose him. "He is to tournament the favorite, especially in front of his home crowd, where he has five times won."

But no one should be surprised if Djokovic would at least play at Roland Garros again, and the second "Nole Slam", get to 2015/16. The Zurich-based expert Heinz Günthardt would not be surprised. "It is a question often a Motivation. His game is based on athleticism and patience, he can not shoot the opponents wegschie," he says. "And if he is restless or not feeling well, he makes more errors than usual. But that can change very quickly."

That the father of two between the Grand Slam tournaments, loses the focus on Tennis a little bit, he could understand, says Günthardt. What he intended with the deposition of ATP boss Chris Kermode, the end of the contract year expires, but it is also to him a mystery. Djokovic, the President of the ATP Spielerrats, is said to have Justin Gimelstob as the Kermodes To the follower is provided - a Plan that was by the court in the case of the American and now by crosses. Gimelstob has travelled to Monte Carlo, to Djokovic, to announce that he is retiring voluntarily from the seven-member ATP Board, in which he was one of the three Game officials.

A lance for Gimelstob

"A wise decision" it was, says Djokovic - to praise Gimelstob in the next exuberant. "He was perhaps the best game representatives in the ten years that he filled this role." A Reporter then points out that some of the top players (especially Federer) wanted more information on how to introduce the tennis tour in the future, fails as a Diplomat, talks a lot but says little.

Novak Djokovic remains un predictable and unbelievable. Also, in addition to the space.

(editing Tamedia)

Created: 07.05.2019, 08:58 PM