Djokovic’s parents defend son Novak, blame another player

BELGRADE, Serbia — Novak Djokovic’s parents defended their son on Wednesday and blamed another tennis player for spreading the coronavirus at a series of exhibition matches hosted by the top-ranked player.

Djokovic and his wife tested positive for the virus on Tuesday. The 17-time Grand Slam champion then apologized online for organizing the Adria Tour events, which brought together professional players from various countries to play matches in Serbia and Croatia.


Thousands of spectators attended the matches and no social distancing was observed.


Djokovic’s outspoken father blamed the cancellation of the tour on Grigor Dimitrov, one of the three other players to test positive in the last few days. There is no evidence to suggest Dimitrov spread the virus to others.

“Why did it happen? Because that man probably came sick, who knows from where,” Srdjan Djokovic told RTL Croatia TV. “He didn’t test here, he tested somewhere else … I think that’s not fair.

“He inflicted damage to both Croatia and to us as a family in Serbia,” Srdjan Djokovic said. “Nobody is feeling well because of this situation.”


Dimitrov, a three-time Grand Slam semifinalist from Bulgaria, was the first Adria Tour participant to test positive for the virus. He was followed by Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki.

The infections raised questions about the full-fledged return of competitive tennis, including the scheduled U.S. Open in August.

“We were wrong and it was too soon,” wrote Djokovic, who has previously said he was against taking a vaccine for the virus even if it became mandatory to travel.

Dimitrov played in matches in both Belgrade and at the Croatian Adriatic resort of Zadar. He reportedly arrived in Serbia from the United States and his native Bulgaria. He did not immediately respond to The Associated Press’ request for comment while recovering from the infection in Monaco.

NBA player Nikola Jokic, a Serb who plays for the Denver Nuggets, has also tested positive for the coronavirus. He was pictured shaking hands with Djokovic at an exhibition basketball event in Belgrade this month.


Jokic is reportedly recovering in his hometown of Sombor.

Djokovic’s mother said both her son and his wife Jelena are feeling fine, but are suffering because of the widespread criticism.

“It is horrible what is being written, but we are used to it,” Dijana Djokovic told the Belgrade Blic daily newspaper.

The coronavirus outbreak led to the suspension of the ATP and WTA professional tennis tours in March. Plans were announced last week for the sport’s sanctioned events to return in August.

The U.S. Open is scheduled to begin Aug. 31 without spectators.

The Associated Press

Goffin beats Federer at ATP Finals, faces Dimitrov in final

LONDON — A set up against a man he’d never lost to, Roger Federer looked to be cruising toward a shot at a seventh ATP Finals title. David Goffin had other ideas.

The Belgian rallied in the semifinals on Saturday to claim the biggest win of his career and stun the favorite 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.

“It is the best win of my career, for sure,” said Goffin, who lost all six of his previous encounters against Federer.

“I started to feel the ball better at the end of the first set, so I wanted to be more aggressive. It paid off. I started to serve well. My forehand was going much better.”

His opponent on Sunday in the final will be Grigor Dimitrov after the Bulgarian defeated Jack Sock 4-6, 6-0, 6-3.

With Federer having lost just four times during a season that saw him claim his 18th and 19th Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, it looked ominous for Goffin when the six-time champion broke twice on his way to winning the first set.

However, Federer wasted two game points in the second game of the second set. Goffin produced a forehand passing shot to take his first break point of the match.

“It was a tough game to get broken at 1-0,” Federer said. “I had I think multiple game chances to get out of the game and go 1-1, keep the pressure up. Things really turned around for him at that moment.”

The winners flowed from Goffin’s racket, unsettling Federer, who coughed up uncharacteristic errors.

Goffin needed just the one break in both the second and third sets and displayed a previously unseen grit to deny Federer his lone break point opportunities in either set.

It was testament to the remarkable season Federer has put together that his loss came as such a major surprise.

However, neither the loss to Goffin nor the fact he finishes the year second, behind Nadal in the rankings, will prevent him from being favorite for the Australian Open in January.

“It’s been an amazing year for me,” Federer said. “Been so happy that I was playing at this level from the beginning till basically the end, till today.”

The match was typical of Goffin’s inconsistent week on his full debut at the tournament, after he played one match as an alternate a year ago.

After defeating a wounded Rafael Nadal in his opening match, he was thrashed in just 74 minutes by Dimitrov, and qualified for the semis with a comfortable win over Dominic Thiem.

“Both are really special,” said Goffin, after becoming only the sixth man to defeat Nadal and Federer in the same tournament. “It was the first time against Rafa. Then the semifinal for the first time for me here, and to beat Roger for the first time here in such a big event, big tournament, it was the perfect moment.”

Dimitrov ensured he’ll end the year at a career-high No. 3 after coming from behind to defeat Sock.

Having won his previous two matches for the loss of just four games, Dimitrov’s title credentials were given a far more rigorous examination by the American.

Dimitrov is the first debutant to reach the final since David Ferrer in 2007.

Goffin will be the underdog again after winning just two games against Dimitrov on Wednesday.

“It will be something different hopefully,” said Goffin, who can move to a career-high No. 5 if he claims the title. “I hope to play the tennis I played today. I’ll try to be more aggressive, also go for the shot, and yeah, go for the trophy.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Halep in line for No. 1 after Cincinnati semifinal win

MASON, Ohio — Simona Halep moved within a victory of the No. 1 ranking.

The second-ranked Halep needed just 54 minutes to cruise past Sloane Stephens 6-2, 6-1 on Saturday in the Western & Southern Open semifinals, and can displace Karolina Pliskova as the top of the ranking with a victory over Garbine Muguruza on Sunday.

The fourth-ranked Muguruza reached her first W&S final with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over defending champion Pliskova.

The men’s final will feature two first-timers. Grigor Dimitrov outlasted John Isner 7-6 (4), 7-6 (10) in the first men’s semifinal. Nick Kyrgios beat David Ferrer 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4).

Halep, seeking her first No. 1 ranking, has yet to drop a set in the tournament and appears to be peaking at just the right time.

“I think I played my best match on hardcourt so far,” said Halep, who can become the first Romanian woman to be ranked No. 1. “It felt great. I moved very well today. From the first point, I felt like I was going to play good tennis.”

The final Sunday will be the first on American soil for Muguruza, who lost to Pliskova in last year’s W&S semifinals after losing to Serena Williams in the 2015 finals. The Spaniard had lost six straight matches against Pliskova since winning their first in 2013.

“I was very precise with my shots,” said Muguruza, who is 2-1 in her career against Halep, though the two haven’t played since 2015. “I wanted to be more aggressive and take my shots. I felt pretty good out there – under control. Everything went my way.”

Muguruza won when Pliskova sailed a forehand long on the fifth match point. Pliskova, who played part of one match and all of another Friday after rain forced postponements Thursday, had 28 unforced errors to Muguruza’s 13.

Muguruza was coming off playing the tournament’s longest match, a 2-hour, 45-minute three-set win over Svetlana Kuznetsova on Friday. That followed a 2-hour, 18-minute win over Madison Keys on Thursday, when she fought off three match points.

“I don’t think I played my best tennis today,” Pliskova said. “I think the energy was pretty low from my side. Obviously, a tough schedule for me the last two days – three matches in about not even 24 hours.

“I think she played very solid, not missing much and obviously serving well. Everything started, I think, in the first game of the first set.”

Muguruza took charge early, breaking Pliskova in the first and last games of the first set.

She gained a second-set edge with a backhand winner on break point for a 4-2 lead before closing it out in 1 hour, 19 minutes.

Stephens, playing her fourth tournament since returning from January foot surgery, also was playing a third match in a span of 24 hours.

“That’s never easy,” she said. “I’m going to go with that. I didn’t play that badly. She was a little fresher. It was just not a great day.”

The 11th-ranked Dimitrov, who lost in the last year’s semifinal to eventual champion Marin Cilic, had just one double fault and finished with nine unforced errors to No. 19 Isner’s 28 in the 2-hour, 3-minute match. The Bulgarian will play the winner of the semifinal between Nick Kyrgios, who knocked out second-ranked Rafael Nadal in straight sets in a Friday quarterfinal, and David Ferrer.

“Today was, I think, one of those matches that I really had to just be patient,” Dimitrov said. “I think that that was the key. I knew I’m not going to have that many rallies against John. I knew that he’s going to serve big, bold serves. I just had to be very composed and use every opportunity that I had. I think in the end of the match, it was just a few points that made the biggest difference for me. I’m just happy obviously with the win, but I’m just happy with the way I kept myself together throughout the whole match. Just remained calm in those tough moments. I mean, I know it’s nerve-wracking from outside, but it’s even tougher when you’re in there and have to receive a serve that comes 141 mph.”

Dimitrov’s composure was the key, according to Isner.

“The difference was he was a lot more decisive at the big moments,” Isner said. “He was a little calmer as well — a little more free-flowing in big moments. I thought he played a high-level match. He certainly is in good form. I played well enough to beat a lot of players today — just not him.”

Kyrgios and Ferrer displayed remarkably efficient serving in their nightcap. They combined for six break points, converting none.

source: sports.inquirer.net