Djokovic To Avoid ATP Events Until Australian Open

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 27th November 2012

EXHIBITION GAME BETWEEN DJOKOVIC AND KUERTEN

Djokovic To Avoid ATP Events Until Australian Open

epa03475788 Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic returns a ball during an exhibition game against Brazilian former tennis player Gustavo Kuerten at Maracanazinho colliseum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 17 November 2012. EPA/Marcelo Sayao |

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic will stay clear of ATP competition prior to defending his Australian Open title from January 14, with the Serb concentrating his efforts on two unofficial events to prep for the 2013 season.

But Djokovic is sure to earn big – though not in ranking points – after competing in the cash-flush Abu Dhabi exhibition from December 27-29 in a field which also includes Andy Murray, David Ferrer, Tomas Berdych Janko Tipsarevic, and presumably Rafael Nadal if the Spaniard follows through and makes his comeback from six months of knee injury drama.

Djokovic will then fly from the Gulf to the Western Australia capital of Perth for a fourth participation in the Hopman Cup mixed team event. He will be teaming with tennis princess Ana Ivanovic in what will be one of the highest-profile teams in the eight-nation event.

Djokovic and compatriot Jelena Jankovic won the event in 2008; he also won Abu Dhabi a year ago.

Djokovic was courted by several ATP early January events, but turned down both Qatar and Sydney invitations.

The current top player will have had a minimal off season when he returns to tennis for Abu Dhabi after spending a week on other exhibitions paydays in Europe and Brazil immediately after winning the year-end season final in London a fortnight ago.