Novak Djokovic sped past Austria’s Dennis Novak as Serbia thumped Austria 3-0 in their Davis Cup opening match at Innsbruck on Friday. Djo...
Novak Djokovic sped past Austria’s Dennis Novak as Serbia thumped Austria 3-0 in their Davis Cup opening match at Innsbruck on Friday.
Djokovic took an hour to beat Novak 6-3, 6-2 after Dusan Lajovic saw off Gerald Melzer 7-6, 3-6, 7-5 behind closed doors due to a resurgence of the coronavirus in Austria. Nikola Cacic and Filip Krajinovic then beat Oliver Marach and Philipp Oswald 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.
Djokovic is attempting to end an already memorable year on a high after claiming three of the season’s four Grand Slams.
“I love to play for my country, when they need me, I’m here,” Djokovic said after his match.
Elsewhere Italy beat the United States 2-1 in Turin and Spain beat Ecuador in Madrid.
Backed by a hearty home crowd Italy raced into a 2-0 lead over the States thanks to wins from Lorenzo Sonego and Jannik Sinner.
Sonego, the world No.27, was ecstatic. “I played the best tennis of my life,” he claimed after seeing off Reilly Opelka 6-3, 7-6 (7/4).
Sinner then pulverised a static John Isner 6-2, 6-0 in 62 minutes.
In the doubles rubber Rajeev Ram and Jack Sock struck back for the States in a 7-6 (7/5), 6-2 win over Simone Bolleli and Fabio Fognini to make it 2-1, while Colombia are...
