Novak Djokovic showed he remains the player to beat in 2012, routing David Ferrer 6-2, 6-1 Saturday to win the World Tennis Championship exhibition tournament. The top-ranked Djokovic also beat Gael Monfils and then routed Roger Federer en route to his first Abu Dhabi title. “This is the best way to start the 2012 season,” Djokovic said.
Andy Murray hired eight-time Grand Slam winner Ivan Lendl as his coach Saturday in a bid to finally win a major title. The fourth-ranked Scot will begin working with the Czech-born Lendl as he prepares for the Australian Open, which starts Jan. 16. “It was important to me that any new person joining my team was able to add fresh insight,” Murray said in a statement.
Roland Garros champion Li Na admits that her newfound celebrity affected her play after her triumph in Paris. “After the French Open my life changed,” Li told reporters at the Hopman Cup, where she beat Marion Bartoli 2-6, 6-2, 6-4. “If I go somewhere to play a tournament, more people know who I am. I’m only focusing on photo shoots. It’s tough after winning a big title, maintaining the concentration—so many photo shoots…. [But] I had a good off-season in Munich. I’m back.”
Li won only seven of her 16 matches after winning her first Grand Slam trophy and parted ways with the man who coached her in Paris, Michael Mortenson. Her husband, Jiang Shan, once again is primarily coaching her. She admits they argue during practice.
“It’s bad, we’re always fighting. It’s tough, he’s always telling me, ‘Move your feet, move your feet!’ I’m thinking, ‘Why are you shouting at me?’ I only listen to him for two hours a day now, joked Li. “I told him, ‘When I am on the court, I will listen to you. When we are away from the court, you have to listen to me!’”
Some reactions on Twitter to Andy Murray’s hiring of eight-time Grand Slam champion Ivan Lendl as his new coach. In November, Lendl told the Daily Telegraph: “Andy is a great player and I still believe he is going to win his fair share of majors. He’s been steadily improving over the years, and was a bit unlucky that he ran into Djokovic this year at the Australian who was just on top form.”
From former British player and broadcaster Andrew Castle: “2 strong personalities. Lendl a workman on court, got 100% from himself. Hasn’t done this before. Brave move from both.”
From the Daily Mail’s tennis writer Mike Dickson; “Lendl is a fascinating, strong and surprisingly amusing character. I think we can assume that the shouting at the box will be curtailed.”
From the London Times Neil Harman: “Murray went to see Lendl in Florida the week before last and the deal was obviously done at that time. A truly remarkable start to 2012.”
From British tennis correspondent Simon Cambers: “Lendl untested as a coach but is a strong personality, no doubt think [Murray’s] technique is there, it’s having belief to do the right things at right times, in big matches. On the other hand, it’s a big leap of faith that Lendl will be a great coach.”
Roland Garros champion Li Na admits that her newfound celebrity affected her play after her triumph in Paris. “After the French Open my life changed,” Li told reporters at the Hopman Cup, where she beat Marion Bartoli 2-6, 6-2, 6-4. “If I go somewhere to play a tournament, more people know who I am. I’m only focusing on photo shoots. It’s tough after winning a big title, maintaining the concentration—so many photo shoots…. [But] I had a good off-season in Munich. I’m back.”
Li won only seven of her 16 matches after winning her first Grand Slam trophy and parted ways with the man who coached her in Paris, Michael Mortenson. Her husband, Jiang Shan, once again is primarily coaching her. She admits they argue during practice.
“It’s bad, we’re always fighting. It’s tough, he’s always telling me, ‘Move your feet, move your feet!’ I’m thinking, ‘Why are you shouting at me?’ I only listen to him for two hours a day now, joked Li. “I told him, ‘When I am on the court, I will listen to you. When we are away from the court, you have to listen to me!’”
Some reactions on Twitter to Andy Murray’s hiring of eight-time Grand Slam champion Ivan Lendl as his new coach. In November, Lendl told the Daily Telegraph: “Andy is a great player and I still believe he is going to win his fair share of majors. He’s been steadily improving over the years, and was a bit unlucky that he ran into Djokovic this year at the Australian who was just on top form.”
From former British player and broadcaster Andrew Castle: “2 strong personalities. Lendl a workman on court, got 100% from himself. Hasn’t done this before. Brave move from both.”
From the Daily Mail’s tennis writer Mike Dickson; “Lendl is a fascinating, strong and surprisingly amusing character. I think we can assume that the shouting at the box will be curtailed.”
From the London Times Neil Harman: “Murray went to see Lendl in Florida the week before last and the deal was obviously done at that time. A truly remarkable start to 2012.”
From British tennis correspondent Simon Cambers: “Lendl untested as a coach but is a strong personality, no doubt think [Murray’s] technique is there, it’s having belief to do the right things at right times, in big matches. On the other hand, it’s a big leap of faith that Lendl will be a great coach.”
LONDON (AP)—Andy Murray hired eight-time Grand Slam winner Ivan Lendl as his coach Saturday in a bid to finally win a major title.
The fourth-ranked Scot will begin working with the Czech-born Lendl as he prepares for the Australian Open, which starts Jan. 16.
“It was important to me that any new person joining my team was able to add fresh insight,” Murray said in a statement. “Ivan’s impact on the game is unquestionable and he brings experience and knowledge that few others have, particularly in major tournaments. I look forward to working with him going forward.”
The 24-year-old Murray spent all of last season ranked in the top four but still ended it without a first Grand Slam title.
“I am really excited to have the opportunity to work with Andy,” Lendl said. “He is a unique talent and I look forward to trying to help him reach his goals.”
Murray reached the Australian Open final and the semifinals of the other three Grand Slams last season. He has lost in two other major finals—the 2010 Australian Open and 2008 U.S. Open.
Murray’s manager, “American Idol” creator Simon Fuller, hopes that “having a champion like Lendl join his team will help him achieve his ultimate ambitions.”
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP)—Novak Djokovic showed he remains the player to beat in 2012, routing David Ferrer 6-2, 6-1 Saturday to win the World Tennis Championship exhibition tournament.
The top-ranked Djokovic also beat Gael Monfils and then routed Roger Federer en route to his first Abu Dhabi title.
“This is the best way to start the 2012 season,” Djokovic said. “I must say I’m really happy with the way I’m playing. Playing against the top players in the world in this way gives me a lot of confidence.”
Earlier, Rafael Nadal overcame an ailing shoulder to beat Federer 6-1, 7-5 for third place in the $250,000 winner-takes-all six-man tournament, a warmup for the ATP season.
The fifth-ranked Ferrer had upset second-ranked Nadal in the semis but had no answer for Djokovic, who broke the Spaniard five times and took 3-0 leads in both sets.
Djokovic is coming off a year in which he won three Grand Slam titles and had a 70-6 record. He says he is feeling better than he did at this stage last year and he is surprised by how well his preparations are going.
The 24-year-old Serb struggled toward the end of the 2011 season, with four of his six losses coming after the U.S. Open as fatigue and minor injuries caught up with him. He came to Abu Dhabi saying he was still not fully fit, but now feels ready to defend his title at the Australian Open next month.
“Usually at this stage, you are trying to find your speed on the court, agility, just dynamics of every stroke,” Djokovic said. “But I found it already, to be honest, right away after the first match. … It’s a great way for me to prepare for Melbourne.”
Ferrer conceded he was outmatched.
“He was better than me. He played a really good match,” Ferrer said. “I tried but maybe I played at a deficit all the time. I fought, but with Djokovic at the moment it’s difficult to beat him.”
Nadal has had a sore left shoulder since the end of last season and looked out of sorts in his one-sided loss to Ferrer on Friday. But the 25-year-old Spaniard showed signs he is returning to old self against Federer. He took a 3-0 lead in the first set and was never seriously threatened by his Swiss rival, who lost to Djokovic in the semifinals in 44 minutes.
The third-ranked Federer struggled with unforced errors and an inconsistent serve. His game improved in the second set, but Nadal ended the match with a blistering forehand into the corner.
“It was a positive match,” said Nadal, who plans to take a break after the Australian Open to rest his shoulder. “I played better than yesterday and that was the most important.”
Federer downplayed the two losses this week, insisting he was feeling good and the time on court will serve him well ahead of the season’s first tournament in Qatar next week.
“It’s about getting ready and feeling fine out there and enjoying a great atmosphere here and having the chance to play world class players,” Federer said. “Trying a few things, see where you are at and see where the other guys are at.”
“Obviously, I could tell Novak and Rafa are playing really well,” he added. “That is not a surprise to me. I expected them to be in good shape for next year and they proved that to me this weekend.”
PERTH, Australia (AP)—Marion Bartoli and Richard Gasquet beat Li Na and Wu Di 6-1, 6-1 in mixed doubles Saturday to give France a 2-1 victory over China in the opening match at the eight-country Hopman Cup.
French Open champion Li had beaten Bartoli 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 in the first singles match at the Burswood Dome, and Gasquet tied it up topping Wu 6-1, 6-3.
Bartoli broke Li’s serve in the fifth game of the final set to take a 3-2 lead, but Li broke back to level the set at 4 and took the match by breaking in the final game. Wu double-faulted on match point.
On Sunday, Australia will face Spain. On Monday, the United States will meet Denmark, and the Czech Republic will face Bulgaria.
