Tennis: Novak struggles with exploiting opportunities

The fact that Novak didn’t use any of his six break chances against world number 11 Sinner in the Wiener Stadthalle annoyed the Lower Austrian: “I should have dared more, risked more. I have nothing to lose at breakball. “

After the game, which he lost 4: 6 2: 6 in two sets, the Lower Austrian said: “The idea was not to let him play, to attack the second serve. I succeeded in the beginning, also in the rest of the match, but the difference was the evaluation of the chances. ”He didn’t manage a break, Sinner used almost all of his chances.

However, he has made progress in the past five and a half months, said the Lower Austrian, who has been in charge of Günter Bresnik again since mid-April, and will of course stay tuned. “My goal is to be in the top 50 and keep moving forward, I have to work hard,” said the 28-year-old who is currently standing at 116.

Novak hopes for more matches with top players

On the tour, Novak also lost his fifth game against a top 15 player. “More matches on the same level against such players bring more experience. I’ve already had enough matches, but the goal is to improve week after week, to train with (strong, note) people and also to play matches against them. ”In Vienna he also got the chance to train with world-class players.

He will get an opportunity for the next top match at the Davis Cup in Innsbruck at the end of November, when he meets Dominic Thiem as Austria’s number one against the number one in the world, the Serbian Djokovic, in his absence. “Nobody likes to play against Djokovic, but I’m really looking forward to it. It is a chance that I have that I show what I can. I hope I can tease him in the best possible way. Anything is possible in the Davis Cup. But I don’t expect to shoot him away in two sentences. I have nothing to lose, I can easily play. Then we’ll see anyway. “

Novak vaccinated and ready for Australian Open

Novak answered a corresponding question that he would definitely travel to the Grand Slam tournament in Australia, he was vaccinated. The next few weeks will show whether he has to qualify there. In any case, a vaccination will be absolutely necessary for the players to compete in Australia.

Because the state of Victoria has confirmed that it will not give unvaccinated players any special permits to participate in Melbourne. Novak said: “I have nothing to say about the debate about Thiem, who has not yet been vaccinated against Covid-19, which has meanwhile been raised to a political level. Dominik will know what he’s doing. “

ATP 500 tournament in Vienna

(Austria, EUR 1.974 million, hard court / hall)