Goran Ivanisevic Archives

Tennis

Serena Williams insists she’s not retired, Rafael Nadal to play in Paris and Turin…Read for more details

By Ladnets09 October 26, 2022

‘Second Service’ tennis news: Serena Williams insists she’s not retired, Nadal to play in Paris and Turin

Looking back on the big tennis news in our exclusive ‘Second Service’… Serena Williams not ruling out a return to tennis, as Nadal’s coach confirms that Rafa will play in Turin and Paris, and more.

To start this tennis news roundup, Serena Williams has dropped further hints that she may return to professional tennis despite turning 41 last month.

While she had written an essay describing herself as ‘evolving away from tennis’ the racket is not well and truly hung up according to Williams.

“The chances (of a return) are very high,” she said at a conference promoting her investment company, Serena Ventures. “You can come to my house, I have a court.

“I am not retired.”

In other tennis news, Rafael Nadal will return to play the Paris Masters and ATP Finals according to his coach Carlos Moya.

The 22-time Slam champion has only played Laver Cup doubles since exiting in the fourth round of the US Open in early September. While doubt surrounded Nadal as to whether he would continue in 2022, Moya suggested his compatriot has been training well for a comeback

“Before arriving in Turin, you have to play matches in Paris, which are similar,” Moya told Balearic television station IB3.

Furthermore, Simona Halep would never to her own knowledge take a banned substance according to her former coach Darren Cahill.

The Australian said so in support of his former charge as the two-time Slam champion received a provisional suspension after testing positive for Roxadustat at the US Open. Halep is adamant that she would never cheat to gain an advantage, and Cahill agrees.

“Even though I’m no longer working with Simona, I’d like to speak clearly to the person I know and the athlete that I worked with for 6 years,” Cahill begins a caption on his Instagram. “Firstly, and most importantly, there is NO chance Simona knowingly or purposely took any substance on the banned list. None. Zero.”

To conclude, Novak Djokovic will compete for a record-extending seventh Paris Masters title ahead of the season-ending Finals in Turin. his coach Goran Ivanisevic suggested the question remained as to whether he would play in Paris. Now the man himself has answered that question.

“I’m going to Paris,” he told Sportal. “I am preparing for the last two tournaments of the year, the Paris Masters and the ATP Finals. I feel good.

“These last two competitions, in Astana and Tel Aviv, and the titles won have raised my level of confidence as well as my motivation.”

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Novak Djokovic ‘disrespected’ at French Open as coach launches bitter tirade – ‘no reason’

By Ladnets09 June 5, 2022

NOVAK DJOKOVIC was ‘disrespected’ during his defeat to Rafael Nadal at the French Open, according to his coach.

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic was ‘disrespected’ on the French Open throughout his quarter-final defeat to rival Rafael Nadal, in keeping with his educate Goran Ivanisevic. Djokovic and Nadal put on a display for the Parisian crowd, with the 21-time Grand Slam champion prevailing 6-2 four-6 6-2 7-6 (7-four) on Tuesday.

Djokovic fell to his Spanish rival in a thrilling match that lasted four hours and 12 minutes on Tuesday night. Ivanisevic, who has coached the Serb since 2019, revealed he has struggled to sleep since the match.

The 50-year-old was confused and frustrated by the crowd’s reaction to Djokovic. While he was chiefly annoyed by Djokovic’s own body language in the third set, Ivanisevic pointed to the crowd’s poor welcoming of the World No. 1 to court as something that truly irked him.

“I mean, we knew that it was going to be like that,” Ivanesevic said as he addressed the partisan crowd in favour of Nadal. “Before the match, I said 80 percent out of respect, but in reality it was 99.9 percent of the pro-Rafa crowd.

The only thing that I do not like and the thing that is really unfair is for the crowd to boo Djokovic when he entered the court. I mean, he is the No 1 player in the world and he has won 20 Grand Slam titles.

There is no reason to do such a thing – whether you love him or not, you should respect him. Afterwards, cheer for Rafa, of course we knew that it was going to be like that. I do not know if Novak was bothered by that or not – he has learned how to deal with it and that cannot be an excuse, in my opinion.”

Ivanisevic, who vehemently refuted suggestions that the night match benefitted Djokovic, lamented the two set points wasted by the Serb in the fourth set. He believes both ended up being unforced errors, but admitted Nadal ‘deserved’ to win the match and advance to the French Open semi-finals.

Nadal will play in the Roland Garros final on Sunday against Casper Ruud after Alexander Zverev was forced to retire against the Spaniard. If the 36-year-old defeats the Norwegian, he will move to 22 Grand Slam titles – two clear of Djokovic and Roger Federer for the most men’s major singles titles in history.

Ivanisevic believes Djokovic can bounce back and make up some ground on Nadal at Wimbledon, although the Croatian admitted victory is a must. When asked if Djokovic can win the SW19 tournament, he added: “Of course he can, and he does not have much of a choice, if we are being honest.

“He is the biggest favourite at Wimbledon, just like Rafa was here. Novak now needs to rest well and prepare for Wimbledon physically and mentally. I am sure that he can do it and I think he will win Wimbledon, I have a good feeling about that. He needs to focus on grass now.”

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FRENCH OPEN: ‘HE’S BACK!’ – WHY JOHN MCENROE IS PICKING NOVAK DJOKOVIC OVER RAFAEL NADAL TO TRIUMPH IN PARIS

By Ladnets09 May 27, 2022

Requested without delay who he is backing to pop out on top at the very last Sunday at the 2022 French Open, Eurosport professional John McEnroe picked international No. 1 Novak Djokovic – however only with a “very mild” facet over thirteen-time champion at Roland-Garros, Rafael Nadal. McEnroe stated after thinking about the decision: “absolutely to me, if I had to select a man I’d nevertheless select him [Djokovic]. Moderate, very slight!”

John McEnroe has given his prediction for the French Open men’s singles title, and he believes that Novak Djokovic has a slight edge over Rafael Nadal.
World No. 1 Djokovic could be set to face his great rival in the quarter-finals in what is a very lopsided men’s draw at Roland-Garros with rising Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz also in that half of the bracket and a potential opponent in the semi-finals.
Despite the fact that the Serb has been declared the favourite to defend his title on the red dirt in Paris after he defeated Nadal in the semi-finals last year, it is far from a formality with the Serb having missed the Australian Open due to his unvaccinated status.

Djokovic, who leads the pair’s head-to-head record 30-28, is a “very slight” pick for Eurosport expert McEnroe, who was asked about the pair’s ferocious rivalry and who he believes will come out on top in the final on June 5 on Court Philippe Chatrier.
“I don’t think we have to worry a whole lot about Rafa at Roland-Garros, if you look at his record, it’s crazy, it’s insane how good it is. 13 times he has won this, so it is all about if he is feeling good physically,” said McEnroe.
“If he is feeling good physically, even Novak says he is the favourite because he wants to take a little pressure off himself – you always say ‘the other guy is going to win’. Nadal has won it 13 times and Novak has won it twice – who do you think the favourite is if they are both healthy?
“I know that Novak beat him last year in the semis, Rafa did not play for six months. All of a sudden, they go to Australia where everyone is saying Novak is going to break the record and guess what? They don’t even let him play, they throw him out of the country.
“Rafa Nadal wins the Australian Open after not playing for six months. These guys are incredible. Amazing. So it is going to be tough to beat them.
“I’m not sure he [Djokovic] is at his best level, but he is getting close to it. Novak has a way of fuelling these situations into something positive – that is very hard to do.
“All of a sudden he [Djokovic] loses to Alcaraz [in Madrid], what’s happening? Well, he wins Rome; now it looks like, there is Novak Djokovic – he’s back! He’s 35, in incredible shape.”
Asked directly who he is backing to triumph on the final Sunday, McEnroe said: “Certainly to me, if I had to pick a guy I’d still pick him. Slight, very slight!”

Interestingly a few days ago, Djokovic’s coach, Goran Ivanisevic, surprisingly backed the “incredible” Nadal as the favourite with quotes many viewed as attempting to lift pressure off his charge.
“When I saw the draw, to be honest, I said, ‘okay, Nadal is going to get to the final’, and so Novak was out,” Ivanisevic told L’Equipe.

“For me, there is only one favourite at Roland Garros and that is Nadal. Even with what has happened with his foot in Rome, I always think that.
“Injured, not injured, he is always the favourite here. It is his home, his court. He knows all the good bounces, all the bad bounces, every nook and cranny.
“Whether he plays well or badly, under the sun or not, it changes nothing. Rafa is incredible. I have enormous respect for him.

“In the final [of the Australian Open], [Daniil] Medvedev could not close the match and you must never do that against Rafa! Anyway, I said seven or eight years ago that Rafa and Novak would have more than 20 Grand Slam titles, and we are there with Nadal.”
Ivanisevic will certainly hope that we will be there with Djokovic too by the end of this fortnight with his charge looking to level with Nadal on 21 Grand Slam singles titles.

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