grif
Rookie
Interesting piece from the past about Djoko and Murray playing doubles together. Things sure have moved on since then :
Surely never before have first-round losers in the doubles attracted as much
media attention as Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic did last Thursday. They
could certainly have packed out a bigger venue than Small Interview Room
One.
Djokovic could be excused for thinking that the winning pair had been
disqualified and The Young Ones were still alive and kicking in at least one
of the men's events at this year's Australian Open.
Djokovic may be only 18 years old but he wasn't naïve enough to think that
the world had suddenly taken a serious interest in a young Serbian tennis
player. He knew that Murray was the focus of attention and as he watched his
fellow teenage doubles partner field the lion's share of the questions he
wondered if he wouldn't mind experiencing that same burden of expectation
which Murray felt had contributed to his first-round defeat in the singles.
The Scot has since rescinded that view, voiced too readily in the emotional
aftermath of defeat to Juan Ignacio Chela, but would still appreciate it if
his every word and action were less scrutinised. Perhaps he should have been
born in a mountain top retreat where skiing is the only sport or in a
country where the last tennis player of note was 20 years ago.
Djokovic is the Serbian equivalent of Murray, being of the same age and of
similar ranking - 77 to Murray's 62 - after an equally remarkable 2005, but
there the similarities end. Djokovic does not have a major sponsor as Murray
does, nor does he have the same sophisticated support team. In fact he uses
the coach and fitness trainer of the Croatian and world No 8 Ivan Ljubicic,
and he certainly doesn't attract the same media interest (which, of course,
could be to his advantage). Yet the Serb has nothing but sympathy for his
young rival/partner.
"In one way I would like to be in Andy's position and in another way no,"
said Djokovic, who, like Murray, is mature beyond his years. "The good thing
about his career is that he has great support. A lot of people in Serbia
don't know me. He has really good sponsorship, a manage-ment company and all
of Great Britain behind him. Everybody expects a lot and they give him a
lot. He got a few wild cards last year that helped him. So it's a much
easier way. But he's a good guy, very talented.
"The bad thing is that everybody expects him to do something really well and
very fast. Whether he wins or loses he always has a full media room. People
ask him pretty tricky questions sometimes and he's only 18.
"He's a smart guy but still, it's very difficult to answer those questions
because he's new to this world of professional tennis. He needs more relief
from the media."
Djokovic, who is still not breathing properly after a fourth sinus
operation, has been close to major management deals a couple of times but on
each occasion they have been withdrawn for reasons that Djokovic intimates
could be political. "I'm not embarrassed about where I come from, but Serbia
is represented to the world in a really bad way," he said. "Everybody looks
at you like you're aggressive which is not the truth."
Djokovic and Murray have been rivals and friends since they were 12. Murray
holds a 2-1 lead in matches between them and they are due to go head-to-head
again at Braehead Arena in April in a Davis Cup tie, providing, that is,
Serbia and Montenegro first win away against Israel.
The two youngsters even made their breakthrough in the men's game at roughly
the same time. Djokovic, who is one week younger, actually broke through a
little earlier, at last year's Australian Open, where he made the same
mistake as Murray did at this year's event by being too aggressive in his
first-round match, against the eventual champion Marat Safin.
When Roger Federer, the world No 1, speaks about how much more interesting
men's tennis is going to be in two or three years' time he is alluding to
the progress he expects the likes of Murray and Djokovic and the two young
French teenagers Richard Gasquet and Gael Monfils to make during that time.
All four - Monfils was actually seeded - lost in the first round here, but
it would be a mistake to think that the kids are not all right.
Sunday Telegraph columnist John McEnroe believes that one from this quartet
plus the 20-year-old Czech Tomas Berdych will break into the top 10 by the
end of the year and Djokovic agrees with him.
"I cannot say which one, but there is no reason to rush," he said. "Just
don't put too much pressure on us."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2006/01/22/stcliv22.xml
Surely never before have first-round losers in the doubles attracted as much
media attention as Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic did last Thursday. They
could certainly have packed out a bigger venue than Small Interview Room
One.
Djokovic could be excused for thinking that the winning pair had been
disqualified and The Young Ones were still alive and kicking in at least one
of the men's events at this year's Australian Open.
Djokovic may be only 18 years old but he wasn't naïve enough to think that
the world had suddenly taken a serious interest in a young Serbian tennis
player. He knew that Murray was the focus of attention and as he watched his
fellow teenage doubles partner field the lion's share of the questions he
wondered if he wouldn't mind experiencing that same burden of expectation
which Murray felt had contributed to his first-round defeat in the singles.
The Scot has since rescinded that view, voiced too readily in the emotional
aftermath of defeat to Juan Ignacio Chela, but would still appreciate it if
his every word and action were less scrutinised. Perhaps he should have been
born in a mountain top retreat where skiing is the only sport or in a
country where the last tennis player of note was 20 years ago.
Djokovic is the Serbian equivalent of Murray, being of the same age and of
similar ranking - 77 to Murray's 62 - after an equally remarkable 2005, but
there the similarities end. Djokovic does not have a major sponsor as Murray
does, nor does he have the same sophisticated support team. In fact he uses
the coach and fitness trainer of the Croatian and world No 8 Ivan Ljubicic,
and he certainly doesn't attract the same media interest (which, of course,
could be to his advantage). Yet the Serb has nothing but sympathy for his
young rival/partner.
"In one way I would like to be in Andy's position and in another way no,"
said Djokovic, who, like Murray, is mature beyond his years. "The good thing
about his career is that he has great support. A lot of people in Serbia
don't know me. He has really good sponsorship, a manage-ment company and all
of Great Britain behind him. Everybody expects a lot and they give him a
lot. He got a few wild cards last year that helped him. So it's a much
easier way. But he's a good guy, very talented.
"The bad thing is that everybody expects him to do something really well and
very fast. Whether he wins or loses he always has a full media room. People
ask him pretty tricky questions sometimes and he's only 18.
"He's a smart guy but still, it's very difficult to answer those questions
because he's new to this world of professional tennis. He needs more relief
from the media."
Djokovic, who is still not breathing properly after a fourth sinus
operation, has been close to major management deals a couple of times but on
each occasion they have been withdrawn for reasons that Djokovic intimates
could be political. "I'm not embarrassed about where I come from, but Serbia
is represented to the world in a really bad way," he said. "Everybody looks
at you like you're aggressive which is not the truth."
Djokovic and Murray have been rivals and friends since they were 12. Murray
holds a 2-1 lead in matches between them and they are due to go head-to-head
again at Braehead Arena in April in a Davis Cup tie, providing, that is,
Serbia and Montenegro first win away against Israel.
The two youngsters even made their breakthrough in the men's game at roughly
the same time. Djokovic, who is one week younger, actually broke through a
little earlier, at last year's Australian Open, where he made the same
mistake as Murray did at this year's event by being too aggressive in his
first-round match, against the eventual champion Marat Safin.
When Roger Federer, the world No 1, speaks about how much more interesting
men's tennis is going to be in two or three years' time he is alluding to
the progress he expects the likes of Murray and Djokovic and the two young
French teenagers Richard Gasquet and Gael Monfils to make during that time.
All four - Monfils was actually seeded - lost in the first round here, but
it would be a mistake to think that the kids are not all right.
Sunday Telegraph columnist John McEnroe believes that one from this quartet
plus the 20-year-old Czech Tomas Berdych will break into the top 10 by the
end of the year and Djokovic agrees with him.
"I cannot say which one, but there is no reason to rush," he said. "Just
don't put too much pressure on us."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2006/01/22/stcliv22.xml
