Novak Djokovic will win the Australian Open, believes Thomas Enqvist – Tennis News
One of the legends of Swedish tennis, Thomas Enqvist, thinks that the reigning world number one, Novak Djokovic, is the hot favourite to win next season’s first Grand Slam event, the Australian Open.
The 38-year-old also stated that it would be good for tennis if someone other than the top four players wins the Australian Open but he doubts if anyone would be able to make it a reality. The Swedish veteran believes that Tomas
Berdych would be the first player outside the current top four to win a Major.
Enqvist, who is featuring at the Raizen Grand Champions Rio in Brazil this week, talked on different current topics in the world tennis.
When asked of his pick for the Australian Open crown, the Swede replied, “I would pick Djokovic (to win in Australia). It would be nice for someone outside the top 4 to win a Grand Slam tournament, not that I have anything against
them, but it’s very difficult to beat them. I think Tomas Berdych will be the first non-Top-4 player to win a Grand Slam tournament. He could win in Australia.”
There is no doubt in the fact that Djokovic has been the man to beat during the last two years. The Serbian juggernaut has won four of the eight Grand Slams in these two seasons.
The 25-year-old has been the top ranked player in majority of 2012 and 2013. He lost the number one ranking to Roger Federer for a brief period but regained it during the ending weeks of this year.
Moreover, Australian Open has been always Djokovic’s favourite Grand Slam. The Belgrade, Serbia resident captured his maiden Major crown at the same place in 2008. The 6ft 2in tall would be not only one but two-time defending champion
at the Melbourne Park this year.
Enqvist also talked about the condition of his country’s best tennis player in recent times, Robin Soderling. He shared that Soderling’s health has improved a lot but he is still not 100 percent fit to play at top level.
The Swede said, “We are praying every day that Robin (Soderling) is coming back soon. He doesn’t have Mononucleosis any more but he has the aftermath - he still has a kind of fatigue and as soon as he steps up his practice he has
difficulties.”
Soderling has not played a single event since winning the SkiStar Swedish Open in Bastad last year due to the Mononucleosis fever.
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