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Home , 1999 French Open, Alexander Zverev, Italian Open (tennis), Madrid Open (tennis)

Sports43 FRIDAY, MAY 26, 2017

Djokovic can tap into Agassi’s brilliant mind: McEnroe

LONDON: ’s decision to work with at the top level and he follows the likes of Ivan Taking his game to another level he went on to American great at the Lendl, , and McEnroe claim two Australian Opens after his 30th birthday, could be an inspired move as he seeks to recover himself into the players’ box. the last coming in 2003 when he was aged 32 and his lost spark, according to John McEnroe. “I was surprised, I had not heard any indication eight months. With Djokovic having just turned 30 The Serb’s insatiable appetite for that Andre was looking to coach,” seven-times himself, McEnroe can see parallels in their careers. titles appears to have waned since he won last grand slam champion McEnroe, who worked with “Andre had a renaissance later in his career, into year’s French Open to take his career haul to 12 Canadian at Wimbledon last year as his 30s where he had success late in his career,” with motivational issues and niggling injuries con- he reached the final, told Reuters. McEnroe, who will be imparting his wisdom for tributing to a surprising slump in form. “As far as being a brilliant mind, and I Eurosport during the French Open, said. He split with his entire coaching team earlier know him well enough to know that he is, he loves “With Novak sort of hitting that peak by win- this month but announced after losing to the game and will leave no stone unturned as far ning the French last year he has talked about some in the final on as preparing for matches goes.” issues off court, some motivational issues, so per- Sunday that eight-times major champion Agassi Agassi bloomed again after a mid-career slump haps Andre can give him an insight into an avenue, would be advising him during the Roland Garros that took him from world number one to outside a way where to be more easily fired up. fortnight. the top 100 in 1997 and he returned to win the “If his mind is into it he is going to win more It is 47-year-old Agassi’s first taste of coaching 1999 French Open and U.S. Open. majors.” — Reuters

Murray struggled TENNIS for focus after Nadal targets 10th title in reaching top French Open generation game PARIS: admits he struggled to stay motivated after a scintillating surge in form that propelled him to the PARIS: With the world’s top five filled for top of the world rankings only a few months ago. the first time by players over 30, Rafael The Briton usurped Novak Djokovic to become world Nadal is poised to tighten the old guard’s number one for the first time at the end of last year, but Grand Slam grip by capturing an approaches the French Open next week on a poor run. unprecedented 10th French Open. The Murray turned 30 last week but there has been little to Spaniard, written off as a contender in celebrate on the court, with his latest defeat coming at the Paris after a quarter-final loss to Novak Masters when he lost his second-round match to local Djokovic in 2015 and an injury-enforced favourite . pull-out before the third round last year, ’s red-hot form makes him the favourite at arrives at Roland Garros as the new Roland Garros when the French Open begins on Sunday and favourite to add the 2017 title to victories Murray told AFP in Paris: “Maintaining your motivation, your in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, focus and concentration for a very long period is difficult. 2012, 2013 and 2014. The 30-year-old “At the end of last year I put in a lot of effort, focus and I has already reached the magical 10 titles achieved a very big goal. “I had a similar period after I won number this year at the claycourt events in and Barcelona. For good my first Grand Slam tournament at the US Open and also measure, he also won for a fifth after I won Wimbledon for the first time, especially time, ending a seven-match losing streak, Wimbledon because I felt like there was nothing... That’s stretching back over two years, against why I was playing tennis, to win Wimbledon. Djokovic in the process. Nadal boasts a “I was the first British player to win Wimbledon for such a sensational career record at Roland long time. When I was done, I was like, ‘Thank God’. “You Garros — 72 wins and just two defeats, to have to reset your goals. That’s something I need to do now Djokovic in 2015 and an injury-affected to look to the future and to keep myself motivated for the shock loss to Robin Soderling in 2009. big events.” That defeat to the Swede opened the MADRID: In this May 14, 2017, file photo, Rafael Nadal plays a shot in the final Murray is renowned for his hard work on the training door for to win his only of the tennis tournament against , in Madrid, court and said there is no magic ingredient if he is to win French Open title. However, Federer, at Spain. Heading into the French Open, the men at Nos. 1-5 in the ATP rankings Roland Garros for the first time, having reached last year’s 35, the oldest man in the top five, is skip- are all 30 or older for the first time in history. — AP final only to lose to Djokovic in four sets. ping the French Open to save himself for “Maybe at the beginning of the year, like in January and an assault on an eighth Wimbledon. Roland Garros) and 10-5 when facing helping his cause. He lost third round in February, I was maybe still recovering a little bit from the Djokovic, the defending champion in Djokovic (5-1 in Paris). Monte Carlo, made the semis in last year. But the last two months, I just haven’t played well,” Paris, and world number one Andy This year’s Roland Garros will be the Barcelona, was a third-round loser in Murray said, speaking at an event in the French capital by Murray are struggling for form and confi- last for Nadal’s coach, his uncle Toni. Madrid before an opening defeat in his sponsor Under Armour. dence, leaving Nadal as the man to beat In contrast, Djokovic will work with US Rome to Fabio Fognini. “There is no rea- “I had a small issue with my ankle, you know so practising when the tournament starts on Sunday. legend Andre Agassi for the first time, son for it from my end. I’m just not play- and stuff with it may be not as good as it needed to be. “I Even losing in the Rome quarter-finals having dropped his long serving back-up ing good tennis,” said Murray, who had spoke to my team about that, I wanted to get back to work. to young pretender Dominic Thiem has team in a desperate attempt to get his his best year on clay in 2016 but who has To do that, I have been training very hard, spending a lot of not diminished the Spaniard’s confi- career back on track. Djokovic completed now failed to reach a final in his last five time practising and working on my game. dence. “To win four tournaments before the career Grand Slam at last year’s events. World number three Stan “That’s the best way to get your confidence back.” Roland Garros, nobody has ever done French Open when he also held all four Wawrinka, the shock champion in 2015, this,” said Nadal, who will turn 31 on June majors. is also struggling with just two wins on BALANCING ACT 3. “But I have matched my best perform- On clay this year, he has at least been clay all spring. After crashing out in the third round of the Madrid ances before arriving in Paris.” Nadal has on an upward curve-quarter-finals in Should the likes of Nadal, Djokovic Masters earlier this month to unheralded Borna Coric, also thrived on hard courts in 2017, Monte Carlo, semi-finals in Madrid and a and Murray falter, then the much-hyped Murray acknowledged his slump in form was a cause for reaching his first Slam final in three years runners-up spot in Rome where he was #NextGen, featuring the likes of Zverev concern. He also suffered a shock fourth-round exit at the when he lost in five sets to Federer in comprehensively demolished by and Thiem could profit. On Sunday, to in January and told AFP Australia despite being a break to the Alexander Zverev. Djokovic’s relation- Zverev, 20, became the first player born that it was a tough balancing act between missing tourna- good in the deciding set. ship with the 47-year-old Agassi, an in the 1990s to win a Masters title. ments to recover while also trying to retain his prized top He was also a beaten finalist against eight-time major winner, is limited, for Thiem, the 23-year-old world num- ranking. Federer in Miami while his title triumph the moment, to just the French Open. ber seven, stunned Nadal in Rome “If you miss a lot of tournaments your ranking drops and in Madrid gave him a record-equalling “Andre is someone that I have tremen- after losing to the Spaniard in the people say, ‘He’s only ranked number seven in the world, 30th Masters title to add to his 14 majors. dous respect for as a person and as a Madrid and Barcelona finals. However, he’s not that good.’ “But to get the balance of playing player. He has been through everything he was crushed by Djokovic in the enough to stay at the ranking you maybe deserve or the lev- DJOKOVIC, MURRAY STRUGGLE that I’m going through,” said the Serb. Rome semi-finals, winning just one el you feel you’re playing at, and to take enough rest so Nadal’s record on clay against the Murray, defeated by Djokovic in the 2016 game. At last year’s French Open, he you’re able to maintain your best level for long enough, is world’s top two is also heavily-weighted final, has endured a wretched season by made the semi-finals, winning just sev- always a challenge.” — AFP in his favour — 8-2 against Murray (2-0 at his standards with an elbow injury not en games off the Serb. —AFP