Novak Djokovic: I Want To Finish No. 1 [Video]

by Tom Gainey | September 28th, 2012, 3:50 pm
  • 37 Comments

Novak Djokovic touched down in Asia yesterday and ahead of his exhibition match Saturday in Taiwan, the Serb expressed his goal to finish the year No. 1.

“That’s one of the goals. Of course I want to be number one of the world again. It’s an ambition. It’s possible by the end of the year,” Novak told reporters. “I’ll try to focus on each tournament individually and see how it goes. I need to play really well because there are so many great players at the moment… so we’ll see.”

Djokovic is ranked No. 2 behind Roger Federer, but leads the Swiss in 2012 Ranking points. He lost his No. 1 ranking when Federer won Wimbledon in July.


Djokovic is scheduled to play Nicolas Almagro in an exhibition match Saturday at the National Taiwan Sport University in Linkou. From there he’ll head to Beijing where he’ll be the top seed at that event starting on Monday and then on to Shanghai.

Novak arrives at the Taiwan airport:

Novak and Nicolas meet the fans:


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37 Comments for Novak Djokovic: I Want To Finish No. 1 [Video]

Giles Says:

At the start of 2012 he said his goals for the year were to win the FO and Olympic Gold. Both goals failed. Will he succeed with the third one? That is the question.


sienna Says:

Djoker is in a ratrace so he would be doing just fine.
Roger is gonna need everybody on board if he wants to get yearend.

I felt that the true focus at USOpen was not there. maybe that result has jumpstarted everyone in primeshape for the last stand.

But I feel he should focus on Basel WTF then plan for more slams in 2013.
But Roger is not letting this one go and he will leave it all on the courts for winning the year.


eric Says:

its going to be extemely hard for federer to be 1 at the end of the season. even if fed wins everything all djoker has to do is make it to semis and finals including at the year end and he should overtake federer. fed is already down 1000 points for the year.


Sienna Says:

Eric your wrong about that.

Reaching semi at WTF is little of non gaing points in regard of playing the rr matches.

The difference between the winner and the losing semi finalist is 900 points. So that would almost take care of the diffrence.

WTF is different then other tourneys. You get rewarded for winning!!! Winning matches and not for losing !

So maybe duh should take notes.


Huh Says:

god bless nanana for she’s doin somethin great at lat by rememberin me always n chantin my name(in her fave way), m sure she’ll finally b abl to think properly after chantin my name for some days continuously n we wont ha to bear her endless crap anymore! that’s just what the doctor ordered for her, lol ;)

again god bles nanana, lol! ;)


Dean Says:

Fed has no chance at no 1 year end, He has already burned himself out. If Novak wins Beijing he will be 1500 points in the lead and I cannot see Roger catching up. The reason Roger was good at the end of last year was because Rafa and Novak were both shattered from playing all the finals from the beggining of the year till US Open. This year he is the one “wounded” and exhausted just like he admitted. I doubt he will even play Shanghai


Dean Says:

Does anyone have a question for Nicolas? Felt sorry for the poor guy just sitting there looking a bit uncomfortable. Glad for Nole that he is popular in Asia and I imagine he is even more poplular in Beijing. However, Almagro was there too to support the good cause.


skeezer Says:

@Dean

“The reason Roger was good at the end of last year was because Rafa and Novak were both shattered from playing all the finals from the beggining of the year till US Open.”

Another excuse Fest. Oh yeah, Fed was lucky, or, he won because others couldn’t perform. How did he win so many titles anyway? Surely if everyone else wasn’t tired, or hurt ,or was there time of the month, Fed would have never ever won, no?

You may be right (Fed burned out), but who cares? Fed has accomplished at 31; 17 Slams and regaining #1, what more would you expect? What you should be wondering is, is theis;
Will Novak, Murray or Rafa get near to accomplishing the same or better?
Nada!

#WhosBad


Margot Says:

Really like Amalgro, sooo sweet and such a fabulous backhand. Only 28 year old who somehow looks 45…;)
in a good way of course.
I think Nole will end the year at no 1. Eric has made a pretty convincing argument.


Huh Says:

Dean

rafa n nole r fed’s toys indoors, simpl as that. but fed is gracious n kindhearted n he may finally hav mercy on them n let them win a match or two indoors, i wouldnt mind that! ;) :p


jane Says:

I’ve been in that airport, brought back memories of Taipei (experienced my first earthquake there…). Nice to see Nole and Nico: hope they have fun. :)


mat4 Says:

Hi jane, hi skeeze, nice to see you’re here.

About luck: luck is a part of the game. Novak had his fair share last year. He didn’t have it this year. It’s life.

Hope he will make it, anyway. He played well at the USO and showed he is still improving and hadn’t lose the right mindset. If he stays healthy and continues to work hard, results will follow.


Colin Says:

How do I put this politely?
Lots of people here are obviously posting in English when it is not their first language. For that I applaud them, as they’re cleverer than I am.I can’t write in a foreign language.
However…
Will they please, please use a spelling and grammar checker, because sometimes it’s hard to understand what they are saying. I don’t include postings written in “textspeak”, because I ignore those anyway.


mat4 Says:

I notice now some errors in my post. Sorry about that. “hadn’t lose” should have been “hasn’t lost”, among others.

Anyway, my Yoda language is not that bad, I hope.


lazlo Says:

((please use a spelling and grammar checker,))

That’s rude, Colin.
Mat4 and others- Most of us on here understand you quite well.


Alok Says:

I think blogs are expected to be imperfect. The second language posters have to consult a dictionary for some English words which even some English speaking people don’t know? simplicity is the key to writing anyway.

Some Ipads make typing very difficult.


Colin Says:

Nonsense, Lazlo, I wasn’t rude. I went out of my way to say the bi-lingual posters are cleverer than I am.
“Understanding” is not everything. Whatever language someone posts in, shouldn’t they want it to be as correct as possible?
I wasn’t particularly thinking of Mat4 anyway. Do you want me to name names? That would be rude!


Polo Says:

I agree with Colin. If you are not sure of the spelling of a word, or the correct grammar, it would be advisable to look it up. That is how you learn especially if English is your second language. It can only make the writer better. It also improves the delivery of your message.


jamie Says:

Nole deserves to finish #1. Three slam finals shows his consistency this year at the slams. He only lost to the eventual champ at the slams in 2012.


alison Says:

Agree with Jamie.


lazlo Says:

Yes, Colin. Please name names. Shame on you, you encourage intolerance.


WTF Says:

Fed has a lot of points to defend coming up till the end of the year. It’s quite likely he will regain it. If he doesn’t everyone still knows who the true #1 is. He’s had the better slam results.

It remains to be seen whether Fed has the wheels Agassi had at 30+. If he does, he can add a few more slams to his tally. I don’t see him continuing to dominate like before however.


jane Says:

Looks like they had fun but did they play tennis? ^_^

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-LST3-xCdY

Hi back mat4…


Alok Says:

@WTF, I think Fed still has the wheels, but it’s his mental fragility that’s is becoming a problem. He’s a front runner, and whenever he loses the first set, it appears it’s becoming more difficult for him to brush that aside and move on. However, he’s still got the drive to win, which is why he’ll continue to be a force to be reckoned with by the other top 4 players.


lazlo Says:

Alok:
I don’t count Fed out. Ever.


Alok Says:

@lazlo: Same here. I think it’s wise for his fans to roll with the punches, and focus on what he’s done, whenever he loes. He’s always shown that he has a lot of resilience, and can put even the tough losses behind him. There’s nothing more challenging for someone like Fed than to hush up his critics and prove them wrong. It’s one of the reasons I admire the man so much.


Sienna Says:

How stupid of my! 300 being the magical number.

300 weeks at #1 surely will define the greatness of Federer. 299 is such a lesser achievement.

O wait if you actually try to get 6 full year at #1 the it is quit easey to ….. 6 times 52 makes 312 weeks!!!!!!

EUREKA !

This should be the new goal for Fed 312 weeks makes a full circle for 6 whole years ranked at #1..

FED MAKE IT HAPPEN! This is now your ultimate goal!


Steve 27 Says:

If Novak ends the year as the 1 of the ranking, at least Sampras will have a record that Federer will not have obtained.


BOSS Says:

Federer is playing Shanghai. means he’s in the running for YE #1!


Tennislover Says:

Well, Sampras already has something Fed will never have. Sampras finished as the year-end # 1 for six consecutive years although I don’t think year-end # 1 is all that important in the larger scheme of things.


alison Says:

Giles ive seen that video sooo many times,and everytime i do,it makes me laugh as much as them,when Roger says so Rafa,and Rafa raises his eyebrows,you just know both are gonna start laughing,love it priceless thanks.


alison Says:

^Just wondering if Siennas seen it.^


alison Says:

Thanks to Jane too for the Nole/Nico video looks like such fun,and people say that these players dont have a SOH.


Giles Says:

Alison. You can be sure of a snide remark from sienna that in her opinion(?) there is only one great – wonder who (?) ! Lol


alison Says:

Giles i dont take any notice,they are both greats,Rogers the greatest ever and Rafas one of the greatest ever period,i will just leave it at that,TBH its not worth making an issue of or worth getting upset about.

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