Djokovic-less Serbia Wins ATP World Team Championship
Posted on May 23, 2009Even without their country's No. 1 Novak Djokovic, Serbia rallied to beat the host Germany and lift the title on Saturday at the ARAG ATP World Team Championship at the Rochusclub in Duesseldorf.
Janko Tipsarevic and Viktor Troicki did the heavy lifting in the final, beating Philipp Kohlschreiber and Rainer Schuettler respectively.
"I think it is going to be huge and this is respect because Djokovic was not here. And I think we showed that we are a big tennis nation also if Novak is not here with us," said Tipsarevic.
Serbia was competing in Dusseldorf as a team for the first time.
"I really played well because I was 100 percent prepared for the match," said Tipsarevic. "I knew he was going to play good because most of his last matches were pretty easy and he played really, really well. And I also talked a bit to Rainer before the match who gave me the right tactic before the match and I'm happy it worked. (laughing)."
Germany was appearing in the final for the seventh time, winning five titles.
"I can't be that satisfied with my game today," said Kohlschreiber. "I actually had a good feeling. My first service game worked well. But from the back it didn't really work. It wasn't good. This went through the whole match unfortunately."
In the opening match Troicki beat Schuettler in one hour and 56 minutes.
"I really feel happy and it's tough to explain. Pretty much, I can not believe it," said Troicki. "If someone told me before this week that we would win here this week, honestly, I wouldn't believe him. It was very tough. We made it and I'm really, really happy that we won. I think personally that this is maybe my best moment in my career and I'm happy that we won also for Serbia the title."
Janko Tipsarevic and Viktor Troicki did the heavy lifting in the final, beating Philipp Kohlschreiber and Rainer Schuettler respectively.
"I think it is going to be huge and this is respect because Djokovic was not here. And I think we showed that we are a big tennis nation also if Novak is not here with us," said Tipsarevic.
Serbia was competing in Dusseldorf as a team for the first time.
"I really played well because I was 100 percent prepared for the match," said Tipsarevic. "I knew he was going to play good because most of his last matches were pretty easy and he played really, really well. And I also talked a bit to Rainer before the match who gave me the right tactic before the match and I'm happy it worked. (laughing)."
Germany was appearing in the final for the seventh time, winning five titles.
"I can't be that satisfied with my game today," said Kohlschreiber. "I actually had a good feeling. My first service game worked well. But from the back it didn't really work. It wasn't good. This went through the whole match unfortunately."
In the opening match Troicki beat Schuettler in one hour and 56 minutes.
"I really feel happy and it's tough to explain. Pretty much, I can not believe it," said Troicki. "If someone told me before this week that we would win here this week, honestly, I wouldn't believe him. It was very tough. We made it and I'm really, really happy that we won. I think personally that this is maybe my best moment in my career and I'm happy that we won also for Serbia the title."