Novak Djokovic belted out Serbian folk songs in an all-in party after clinching the Australian Open, but shrugged off a poor night's sleep to focus on more glory on the clay courts of Roland Garros."We brought two Serbian guys who played our traditional music for two hours ... We went out of the changing room at 2AM. That's all I remember," said a glassy-eyed Djokovic of celebrations at Melbourne Park after his stunning straight-sets victory over Briton Andy Murray."I was carrying myself plus my bags and the trophy," he told a small group of reporters on Monday."I was handling myself under the circumstances quite good ... I could not really sleep because I was still under the great impression of winning a title, so it was hard because of the excitement."Wearing jeans and a polo shirt on a sweltering day, the lanky 23-year-old looked a little worse for wear as he sat next to the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup at the MCG.He perked up enough to gush about having hit his stride after fighting years of doubt as a 'one-slam wonder' since taking his first major title at Melbourne Park in 2008."It's been a period of ups and downs for me the last three years ... I haven't had that consistency and self-belief that I've needed to," he said."Right now and the last six months, I feel that I've reached that stage that I believe that I can really win it."In last two months I'm probably playing the best tennis of my life and I cannot ask for a better start to the season. To be able to win the grand slam gives you a lot of confidence."Djokovic set up his title with a semi-final trouncing of Roger Federer, and his domination of Murray has fuelled talk of a new grand slam triumvirate, with the Serbian tipped to share more of the majors spoils with the Swiss master and Spaniard Rafa Nadal.While flattered, the Belgrade-born baseliner says he still needs to prove himself on all surfaces to feel comfortable about the compliment."If the people want to call me a part of the big three, then that's great," he said."I have big respect for Federer and Nadal, they are great examples of champions on and off the court in every sense."If I want to become the best player in the world, I will have to win more grand slams," added Djokovic, who has never surpassed the semi-finals at Roland Garros or Wimbledon."But yes, my goal you can say is (not only) to do well on clay, but to do my best result on Roland Garros."After beating Murray under the floodlights at Rod Laver Arena, Djokovic dedicated his victory to Serbia, drawing roars of approval from rows of countrymen clad in red, white and blue in the stands.Djokovic, who led Serbia to an emotional victory in the Davis Cup over France in December, grew up through the Balkan wars that ravaged the country and says the bitter times continue to spur him on as a player."We've been growing up through two wars. When you turn around and analyse what you have been through, you appreciate some things more in your life and you know what your values are," he said."Of course everybody loves their country. I don't love my country more than you love yours, but in my case it's a more special feeling because we've been through something different."So to be able to help those people who I know how much they've suffered - and they still suffer because of some problems - it's our obligation in some way to give support and present as best we can."Read Morehttp://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/01/31/3126004.htm?site=sport§ion=tennis
Roger Federer has faced up to relinquishing the last grand slam title in his possession and insisted "it's not the end in any way".The Swiss was beaten 7-6 (7/3) 7-5 6-4 by Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals of the Australian Open and is now without one of the game's four major trophies for the first time since 2003."It's not the end in any way. It's a start for many other tournaments after this," Federer said."Sure it is disappointing and it hurts at this moment. I wish I could have won here for a fifth time but it wasn't possible."When it was put to him that his and Rafael Nadal's failure to reach the final was the first time that has happened at a major since here in 2008, Federer snapped: "They say that very quickly."Let's talk again in six months' time."The world number two played well but he simply ran into a Djokovic who was on top of his game.The Serb was stronger from the back of the court, singling out the Federer backhand for particular attention, and strong on serve which is an area which has improved beyond recognition in recent months.Federer added: "I thought he played a great match."I didn't think I played badly myself and it was a match played at a very high intensity for a long period of time. We had long, tough rallies and played at a very high speed."Read Morehttp://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5iMuwbAWxCyzyeoVksfXaV36x8Zsg?docId=N0399801296141830827A
MELBOURNE: World number one Rafael Nadal sent out a warning to his rivals that he's back in business ahead of Wednesday's Australian Open quarterfinal with David Ferrer.Nadal, bidding for a fourth straight major title to complete a non-calendar year 'Rafa Slam', tagged Monday's straight-sets win over Marin Cilic in the fourth round as his best in the tournament and declared he was healthy.That's all foreboding news for compatriot and seventh seed Ferrer for their quarterfinal, which guarantees a Spaniard will play in the semifinals.In Wednesday's other quarter, last year's finalist Andy Murray has an intriguing match-up with Ukrainian giant-killer Alexandr Dolgopolov.Nadal had been troubled by a virus he picked up in Doha on his way to Australia but there was no sign of his massive sweating in the previous match as he ratcheted up his level against last year's semifinalist Cilic."I feel I played my best match by far at this year's Open. I think it was a very good match for me and a very important victory," Nadal said. "I was able to play with high intensity, very good rhythm, playing more inside the court."Nadal has a 11-3 record over Ferrer, who beat the world number one twice in 2007, including a four-set fourth round victory at the US Open."We know each other well. We've played each other a lot of times. I think he's a fantastic player for many years so I have all respect for him," Nadal said."I know it's going to be a really difficult match."It will be Nadal's fifth successive Australian Open quarterfinal and he is in the midst of a 25-match Grand Slam winning streak, his longest, but four off the record run of 29 held by Rod Laver.The winner will play either British fifth seed Murray or 46th-ranked Dolgopolov in the top-half semifinal.Murray, who was shattered by his defeat in last year's final by Roger Federer after holding five set points in a marathon third-set tiebreaker, said he was ready for the big matches of the tournament."I feel good. The matches are definitely going to get tougher," he said."I've been moving well. I'm hitting the ball the best I've have done since the early matches, but it's going to get much tougher. I'm ready for that mentally."Murray is bidding to win Britain's first male Grand Slam since 1936 and was impressive in losing just five games to Austrian Jurgen Melzer in the round of 16.Murray, who has yet to drop a set in his four matches at this year's Open, is undefeated in seven matches so far this season.He is expecting a testing quarterfinal against Dolgopolov, who dumped Swedish fourth seed and two-time French Open finalist Robin Soderling out in the fourth round."He's got a very unorthodox game, very different to most of the guys on the tour and he's starting to put everything together," he said."He's playing well, taking chances and he has a game that can make you play strange shots or not play that well."Read more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/events-tournaments/australian-open-2011/top-stories/Nadal-ramps-up-form-ahead-of-quarters/articleshow/7358066.cms#ixzz1C14iMS5V
MELBOURNE: Roger Federer will welcome the familiarity of his next opponent at the Australian Open after dodging a bullet from nemesis Gilles Simon in the second round early on Thursday.The defending champion had to pull out his best tennis to get on top of the 34th-ranked Frenchman in a desperate fifth set to claim victory, 6-2, 6-3, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3 in a spellbinding 3hr 13min showdown on Rod Laver Arena.Simon is one of only three active players along with world number one Rafael Nadal and last year's finalist Andy Murray to hold a winning record over the all-time Grand Slam title champion.At one stage it looked as though Simon was going to stretch his winning sequence to 3-0 as he fought back from two sets down to take the match into a fifth set with Federer under the pump."I definitely felt something was not going my way," Federer said."I really had to play an extremely good game to close it out. Obviously I am quite relieved."The Swiss great will now have what appears a more comfortable match coming up on Friday against Belgian Xavier Malisse, 30, whom he has played eight times.Federer has won seven of those encounters, with the 45th-ranked Malisse's only success coming in their first meeting 12 years ago in a Davis Cup tie."Physically I'm fine, and I'm really looking forward to my next round opponent, who I've known for a very long time," Federer said.Federer, who has an extraordinary recall of what happened in his past matches and what strategy he needs for his next opponent, said he will get plenty of positives out of his post-midnight escape."There's definitely positives to take out of this match," he said. "I didn't play bad. I didn't think I played bad in the third and the fourth sets. Really, a lot positives came out of the match."Sure a match like this can give you a lot of information, and should be very positive in the long run. We'll see how it goes."Although confident he would ultimately prevail, Federer said at times he felt things weren't going his way against Simon, whose volleying at times in the third and fourth sets was exhilarating."I was like, 'This can't be true, right?'" Federer said, when asked what was going through his mind as plucky Simon saved the first three of five match points against him."I've had some tough losses last year. Obviously they're in the past and I've had a wonderful last six months."But sometimes it just doesn't seem to go your way. As much as you believe and press and do the right things, sometimes you get unlucky and sometimes the other guy just reads your mind or it just all falls into place and it's not your day."I didn't feel that feeling out there, but I definitely felt something was not going my way."Going virtually unnoticed in the tumult of Federer's big escape was that he equalled Swede Stefan Edberg's record for the most Open Era wins at the Australian Open with 56.Read more: - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/events-tournaments/australian-open-2011/top-stories/Relieved-Federer-at-ease-with-Malisse/articleshow/7323983.cms#ixzz1BXvrW4ox
