Novak Djokovic expects support and fun at the inaugural ATP Cup

World no. 2 Novak Djokovic has landed on the beloved Australian land, arriving in Brisbane where Serbia plays in Group A of the ATP Cup that takes place between January 3-12. Accompanied by Dusan Lajovic, Viktor Troicki, Nikola Milojevic and Nikola Cacic, Djokovic will try to lead Serbia towards the team competition title, barely missing a chance to advance into the semi-final at the Davis Cup Finals in November following that tough loss to Russia. After a suitable rest and practice sessions in Monte Carlo and Dubai, the 16-time Major champion is ready for another strong run in one of his favorite countries, winning seven Australian Open crowns since 2008 and always delivering reliable performance in the first month of the year.

Novak will have to beat the names like Gael Monfils, Kevin Anderson and Cristian Garin to keep Serbia in contention for the place in the quarter-final in Sydney and he seems ready to chase that task and push his country into the last eight. After the ATP Cup, Novak should enter the ATP 250 event in Adelaide before heading to Melbourne where he has 2000 points to defend after a brilliant run last January that carried him towards the 15th Major, leaving Pete Sampras on 14. Novak will make his ATP Cup debut against Kevin Anderson on Saturday, January 4, winning eight of the previous ten matches against the South African.

"I love Australia. I have had an amazing ten years down under, going back to the first Grand Slam I won in Melbourne in 2008," Djokovic said. "Ever since then, it's been a love affair. I think it's great for our sport that we have an innovation introduced in a country that loves tennis. The French team will be led by world No.10 Gael Monfils, while South African Kevin Anderson was as high as No.5 in the world earlier this year. It has an element of the individual tournament but it's combined with a team concept and I love wearing the colors of our country; hopefully, we can have good support and have a lot of fun." 

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2Q8TubA