Novak Djokovic is in Abu Dhabi, Ready to Begin 2012

Written by: Staff on 20th December 2011

Novak Djokovic is in Abu Dhabi, Ready to Begin 2012

Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns the ball to Feliciano Lopez of Spain during their final match of the Serbia Open tennis tournament in Belgrade, Serbia, 01 May 2011. Djokovic won 7-6(4) and 6-2. EPA/KOCA SULEJMANOVIC |

World no.1 Novak Djokovic has become the first player to arrive for the lucrative Mubadala World Tennis Championship, the pre-season exhibition event in Abu Dhabi, which will feature fellow top five stars Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and David Ferrer.

Djokovic took just a two-weeks break in the Maldives before getting back to work and landed in Abu Dhabi 12 days before the Mubadala World Tennis Championship begins, intent on taking advantage of the warm weather and training facilities on offer in the Emirate.

Regardless of holding the no.1 ranking since winning Wimbledon in July, Djokovic will play a first round match in the event while Nadal and Federer are awarded byes but that does not concern the 24 year-old Serb who was imperious for three-quarters of 2011.

Several respected judges, such as seven times major champion John Newcombe have voiced doubts that Djokovic will struggle to recapture his form in the New Year. He has really knocked himself out, said the Australian. ”He’s just won so many matches, and it’s been pretty obvious, even at the US Open, he was struggling.

Since the US Open, there’s been injuries; a sore shoulder, a sore back, and when you watch him playing, he’s running on three cylinders. I’d say that his body has temporarily given in. It’s not a lot of time to suddenly suck it up and start the year again and defend everything that he won last year, so I think it will be a superhuman effort for him to repeat the six months that he had. It was an amazing run, and that is very hard to defend.

Djokovic provided the perfect counter argument on arrival in Abu Dhabi when he said his winning impetus will carry over into the next season and he intends to strengthen his position on the top of the men’s rankings by bagging some early championship titles.

I need to believe in my qualities, in my abilities, insisted the world no. 1.

1.need to believe I can repeat this year again. Of course it’s going to be an incredible and a difficult task to achieve, but you never know. Nothing is really impossible.

Djokovic maintained he will stick to his current playing tactics and will practice harder to recapture his physical fitness that did seen compromised in the closing month of the year. I am sticking with the same regime, and my diet and the same way of practicing,” he said. “Nothing has changed.

But it won’t all be hard work for Djokovic who is drawn to play Gael Monfils on the opening day in Abu Dhabi for the right to face Federer. He also intends to take in a Coldplay concert on New Year’s Eve.

“It’s great to be in Abu Dhabi for the first time,” said Djokovic. With the sun out and first class facilities, it already seems like an ideal way to kick off my season. With such a strong line-up and my defense of the Australian Open only weeks ahead, {‘m here to prepare and the best preparation is winning.

“I am looking forward to experiencing all that Abu Dhabi has to offer from great tennis to Coldplay for New Year. I have heard great things about the Emirate and the crowds in Abu Dhabi there will be some real battles out on centre court and I am to give the fans what they want with some attacking tennis.

Topics: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer