World No. 1 Novak Djokovic is in action this week for the first time since winning his fifth Grand Slam title at the Australian Open. Defending his Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships crown, Djokovic is confident he can replicate the success he’s had in previous years at the event, which has seen him win the past three trophies. “I’m looking forward to this week. I’ve always played my best tennis in Dubai,” Djokovic said in a round table interview Sunday.
“I’ve had a lot of success the last couple years. I have a reason to believe I can perform equally as well this year”
Should Djokovic win the title, he would become the first player to win the ATP World Tour 500 event four straight times. “Any kind of history is a blessing I think. It’s something each player seeks. I’d be extremely happy to win,” said Djokovic.
“Any tournament I’m playing in, I’m aiming to win. I’ve been at the peak of my form at 24. I believe that I can win most of the matches I play on the court. I’ll always go with a positive attitude and keep on doing the good work. I’m always searching to be the best.”
After an incredible 2011 season which saw Djokovic win three major titles, a record five ATP World Tour 1000 Masters trophies and ultimately, an ascension to No. 1 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings, the Serbian followed it up in January by triumphing in Melbourne for the third time, edging Andy Murray in a five-set semi-final thriller before outlasting Rafael Nadal in the longest Grand Slam final in history. Reflecting on his record-breaking performance, Djokovic said, “I travelled the next day back to Europe. I took 10 days off and I didn’t do much.
“I tried to have a passive recovery, and enjoy the two incredible matches I played in Melbourne… I was trying to go back and reflect on the memories of Friday night and Monday morning. It was quite a magnificent, historical moment not only for me, but also for Nadal. It is a match that will always be remembered.”
Away from match play for nearly a month, Djokovic has kept himself busy, taking part in a variety of activities. “Since Melbourne, I’ve been doing a lot of things off the court. I’ve done some skiing. I went to London for the [World] Laureus Sports Awards, which was a great experience. I’ve had some activities with the media and some reunions with my friends back home in Serbia. So it’s been a nice couple of weeks for me.”
The top seed opens his title defence against Cedrik-Marcel Stebe. “I don’t know much about him. My brother [Marko] grew up with him in the juniors, so he’s been telling me a little bit about him,” revealed Djokovic.
“I watched him play against Lleyton Hewitt in Australia, and he was impressive in that match. His attitude is great on the court. He doesn’t seem to be fearing the opponent. It’s going to be tricky. It’s the first match of the tournament.”
