Novak Djokovic has accepted a wildcard in Eastbourne, and this means that he will play at a grass tournament before Wimbledon for the first time since 2010 when he participated at Aegon Championship in London. Is this the right decision?
Tennis expert Radmilo Armenulic says: “I believe it is good for Novak to play at Eastbourne because this will be a great way to prepare for Wimbledon. Maybe he’s slightly late with the preparation, but then again, he knows his rhythm best. [Roger] Federer played at Garry Weber Open in Halle and after that, he has the time to rest and practice for Wimbledon. Djokovic could have done the same thing, but he decided to make a long break, then to play at Eastbourne.”
Is it better for Novak psychologically to come to Wimbledon knowing that he is not a number one seed?
“Djokovic can always win at Wimbledon, but this time, he is not a number one favorite. He will be, actually, a threat from the shadow. Nobody out of the first three ATP players is a favorite to win – Andy Murray isn’t a favorite and neither is Rafael Nadal,” continued Armenulic.
Is it Federer the first candidate to win a title in London then?
“Roger always plays well at Wimbledon and there is no doubt that he has a great desire to hold the trophy in his hands one more time. However, I think he will not triumph this year and I expect big surprises and one of the underdogs to win the entire tournament,“ says the tennis expert.
Someone like [Nick] Kyrgios?
Armenulic disagreed: “Not Kyrgios as much as [Dominic] Thiem, [Alexander] Zverev or even [Feliciano] Lopez who plays great tennis.”
Why is Novak Djokovic second seed at Wimbledon since he is fourth on the ATP list?
“Wimbledon has its rules, criteria to be more precise, based on which they decide this,” explains Radmilo. “I think that it is good for Djokovic, who was a number one player in the world for a long time and who has won three titles at Wimbledon, to be placed at second seed this year.”
Radek Stepanek and Andre Agassi – Is it a good combination?
“Radek Stepanek is here to coach Novak all the time, but Agassi will be there in London and his support means a lot to Novak,” concluded Armenulic.
