World number one Novak Djokovic defies risks by debuting a brand new tennis racquet at the Australian Open 2013. It seemed that it did not do much of a difference since he won his first round match in a relatively easy fashion against France’s Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-2, 6-4, 7-5.
The three-time Australian Open champion (2008, 2011, 2012) will bid to become the first male tennis player to win this event three years in a row.
“I feel this is a point where everybody starts from the same line, so I don’t really put myself in a position to have more pressure than the others have, to be honest,” Djokovic said.
“I’ve been faced with this particular kind of pressure, defending the title in major events, a few times. So I know how it feels like, what I need to do. As I said, I’m trying to keep it very simple, take it day to day, see how far I can go.”
“This is my most successful Grand Slam. But this Grand Slam is also known for a lot of surprises, players who have been reaching the final stages who are not expected to, especially in the last six, seven years. We’ll see. The Australian Open always brings something interesting,” he added.
Djokovic explained that there are only a few changes made on his new racquet and he’s ready to implement these changes in Melbourne.
“There are no big changes in dimensions and the distribution of the weight. I’m extra careful about the racquet. It’s the most important tool for a tennis player,” Djokovic says.
“It’s an individual sport, so every tennis player has different demands, different desires how the racquet should look like, how it feels in their hands. I feel comfortable with this racquet. It gives me control and speed. It’s suitable to my style of the game,” he added.
