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31.05.2017

Novak Djokovic could be on the verge of "something special" after teaming up with Andre Agassi for the French Open, former Roland Garros runner-up Henri Leconte said on Tuesday.

Djokovic, the defending French Open champion, announced on Sunday that he would have eight-times grand slam champion Agassi in his corner in Paris after parting ways with his coaching team earlier this month.

"It's brand new and good for tennis," Leconte, the last Frenchman to reach the final in 1988, told us.

"I really hope it works because if it does, it could be something special for Novak."

Twelve-times grand slam winner Djokovic ended a three-year partnership with Boris Becker late last year when he lost his world No.1 status to Andy Murray.

He has struggled to rediscover his best form since winning last year's French Open to complete a career grand slam and this season has seen a run of surprise losses.

Leconte says American Agassi, who came back from a career slump to win the 1999 French Open, could help the 30-year-old Serbian find the spark that appears to have been missing.

"I really believe that he can help Novak find his way back to the top," Leconte, who will work as a pundit for Eurosport during the French Open, said.

"Andre has the strength of personality to give Novak advice.

"He had the experience of coming back after injury problems and other setbacks to come back from 150 in the world to number one.

"It's not about coaching.

"I think the likes of Novak, Roger (Federer) and Rafa (Nadal) just need something new; a brand new direction.

"I really hope Novak has enough strength and power to produce what he produced last year."

 

 

 

 

 

 

22.05.2017

Have you been surprised by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal's great performance so far in 2017?

I'm very happy!They are tennis stars! They're very professional, hard working and very polite with the press. As I said last year we need them as they are already tennis icon and champions. So we are lucky that they are back again! It is unbelievable what they have already accomplished in their careers.

Nadal is the bull, so you can't be surprised that he is fighting hard. Federer impressed us also in the past 5 months. He was so relaxed on court, enjoying his time, hitting and moving so well as he always did. Unfortunately Federer will not play now at the French Open but he will play at the MercedesCup in Stuttgart and Gerry Weber in Halle where I will see him again.

 

Which Next Generation player has caught your attention?

Alexander Zverev. I've been incredibly impressed by him. That match against Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open (Nadal won in five sets in the third round). 

He was fighting and giving everything. He earned a lot of respect from the players and the public for that performance. He won the BMW Open at Munich and the ATP Masters in Rome in May 2017. Congratulations!

He seems to want it and looks very focused. He leads the way for the next generation at the moment.

 

 

 

31.01.2017

#RogerFederer #RafaelNadal #AustralianOpen

Roger Federer won his 18th Grand Slam title and first for five years with a thrilling five-set victory over Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final 2017.

The 35-year-old Swiss won 6-4 3-6 6-1 3-6 6-3 to claim his fifth Melbourne title and extend his lead at the top of the all-time men's major winners' list.
Nadal, 30, remains tied in second with Pete Sampras on 14 Grand Slams following his first final since 2014.
Federer's previous major title came at Wimbledon in 2012.
"I've been coming here for almost 20 years now," he said. "I've always enjoy it. "Thanks again for everything, to everybody. I hope to see you next year. If not, this was a wonderful run here and I can't be more happy to win."

 

10.01.2017

Australian Open Legends Tournament

Rafa's new couch is leading the legends team

Former world No.1 and the newest addition to Rafael Nadal’s coaching team Carlos Moya will lead the star-studded field at Melbourne Park in the Australian Open Legends Tournament.
 
Also new to the field in 2017 is Australian Open singles finalists Todd Martin (USA) andMary Joe Fernandez (USA) and Australian Open doubles champions Fabrice Santoro (FRA)Jacco Eltingh (NED) and Paul Haarhuis (NED).
They will be joined by Henri Leconte (FRA), Pat Cash (Vic), Goran Ivanisevic (CRO), the Swedish contingent of Jonas Bjorkman and Thomas Johansson, Mansour Bahrami (FRA), Michael Chang (USA), Wayne Ferreira (RSA) and Aussie favourites Mark Philippoussis (Vic),Todd Woodbridge (NSW), Mark Woodforde (SA) and Wayne Arthurs (Vic).
Joining Fernandez in the women’s field is Aranxta Sanchez-Vicario (ESP), Barbara Schett(AUT), Iva Majoli (CRO), Lindsay Davenport (USA), Martina Navratilova (USA), Nicole Bradtke (Vic) and Rennae Stubbs (NSW).








Season 2017

Will Federer and Nadal come back to the Top 10 this year? 
'It's never easy to come back at a very high level ' Leconte said. 'It's hard for anyone! Even if you are Roger Federer. This year we will still see Djokovic, Murray, Wawrinka and Raonic winning tournaments and other players as well like Dominic Thiem. Hopefully Federer and Nadal will play major tournaments because we need them. You have to realize one thing: when these guys retire, it will be difficult for tennis sport as two characters are missing. 








 

 

21.10.2016

Royal Albert Hall, London 2016

You’re also playing this year at Champions Tennis. What’s been your favorite memory of playing at the Royal Albert Hall?

I’m lucky that I’ve gotten to play there many times. The atmosphere and the acoustics are unbelievable. It’s like you’re in a theater. I’ve had some great matches there against John McEnroe and against other players as well. It’s just the place to be at that time of the year.

Do you find it easier to build friendships on the Champions Tour than in your playing days?

Of course. It’s much more relaxed because we have nothing to prove anymore, but we still have good tennis and good competition.

We know you like to entertain the fans, but does the competitiveness still come out in your matches?

We always try to do the best we can, to win and produce some good tennis. But I’m mainly just happy to be able to play and be healthy. It’s much more fun than it used to be.

16.09.2016

Australian Open 2017

What happened to Djokovic and what is the outlook for the next Grand Slam in 2017?

With the 2016 Grand Slam calendar officially at an end, the ATP number 1 Novak Djokovic will shift his focus now towards the 2017 Australian Open in January.

He has plenty of time to prepare between now and January 2017.

This type of bad run isn't unusual for Djokovic, as he won just one single Grand Slam title in 2014 before winning 3 titles in 2015.

He hasn't been healthy for much of the second half of 2016, which may have had something to do with him struggling in major tournaments.

Djoker dropped out of the Cincinnati Open following his loss at the Summer Olympic Games with a wrist injury. He was not 100 percent well at the U.S. Open 2016.

The 12-time Grand Slam champion has a good chance for raising his level of play Down Under. He has won the tournament five of the past six years.

Nole will be the favorite heading into the 2017 Australian Open. See you down under in January!

 

 

12.09.2016

US Open 2016

Already assured of the No. 1 ranking, things got even better for Germany's Angelique Kerber at the US Open.
Kerber beat Karolina Pliskova in a thriller, 6-3 4-6 6-4, to win the US Open and claim her second grand slam title of 2016.

Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka beat world number one Novak Djokovic with a scintillating display to win his first US Open and third Grand Slam title. Wawrinka, seeded third, won 6-7 (1-7) 6-4 7-5 6-3 to add the US title to his 2014 Australia Open title and his French Open triumph last year. Serbia's Djokovic made a strong start but struggled physically as the final entered a fourth hour in New York.
 

10.09.2016

Angelique Kerber the new world number 1

Angelique Kerber’s dream has become reality. She replaces American Serena Williams as the new number 1 in the tennis rankings. She is the 2nd German 19 years after Steffi Graf.

07.09.2016

US Open 2016
Serena Williams now has the most major match wins in the Open Era passing Roger Federer.