Davis Cup: Playoff for the World Group

Serbia Within the Elite

Serbia entered the last day with the lead of 2:1 and with two match points. The crowded Arena was expecting a show and 20.000 people were waiting for the great duel between the former and the future racket number one! People were full of agitations, but optimism as well. They all believed in Novak and his ability to bring a great joy to Serbia and to make Belgrade the real tennis centre of the world


By ANA SLOVIĆ
from Belgrade, SERBIA


'Do you see this flag? This is our territory and no one can defeat us here.' These were the words of Novak Djokovic after the match by which the national tennis team of Serbia had provided the placing in the World group of Davis Cup after almost twenty years.

The Belgrade Arena has become the "Temple of tennis" in the country with not such a long tennis tradition. The Arena has broken the record of the number of spectators in Davis Cup, not talking about the finals. The show in front of 20 thousand people, the tennis lesson for the Australians, the win 4-1 and the placing in World group. This is a huge success, but it is only the beginning. This victory for sure does not fulfill even one part of the ambitions owned by Serbian tennis players, led by the World No.3, Novak Djokovic.

The First Day

After the first day of match between Serbia and Australia the result was 1:1. Novak Djokovic won Peter Luchak 3:0, while Layton Hewitt was better than Janko Tipsarevic - 3:2. It was not an easy job either for Novak or for the Arena spectators. The best Serbian player fought against Peter Luchak, against the anxiety because of the performance in front of 16.000 people, and against problematic base as well. Djokovic started the first set very well, in the second set he was a bit relaxed and at the end, after almost three hours and a half, he gave first point to Serbia.

In the other part Janko Tipsarevic did not have enough strength to defeat the former best tennis player in the world, and now the 21st on ATP list, Leyton Hewitt. The Australian player was better after five 5 sets. Janko was a decent rival in the first three sets but he didn't manage to finish the match with the same enthusiasm, so it was easy for the opponent to win the last two sets.

At those moments the Arena spectators behaved as if in a theatre, 53rd player of the world didn't get support from the platforms, which forced Djokovic to enter the court again after the match and plead with the audience: 'Guys, you have to cheer. If you want us to win, you have to cheer. You cannot behave as if in a school. You have to cheer.' After that he dropped the microphone and left the Arena, notably upset.

The Second Day or D-Day

The supporters seem to have understood Novak literally. As much as they were sleepy on the first day, on the second they were high-spirited! With the thunderous sound of plastic sticks and the drums, the fans encouraged the Serbian players and drew them to the limit, often with screams and shouts during the points.

Djokovic and Zimonjic on one side, Hewitt and Henley on the other one. Many people were aware of the fact that it might be the crucial match. Novak is indeed the 3rd in the world, Nenad is indeed one of the best doubles players, but the fact was that the two of them didn't play many matches together and that they weren't well coordinated.

Unfortunately, the first set proved this to be right. When the Australians took the lead of 2:0 in the second set it looked as if everything was going wrong. It even happened a couple of times that Novak and Nenad bumped into each other, but that was when the audience took the floor. The fans didn't pay attention either to the warnings of the judge or to the protests from the Australian team.

The Serbian double finally managed to 'breathe as one' and to gain a great lead. In the end- 3:6, 6:4, 6:3, 6:2. They played with their hearts which they 'left at the court'. Novak and Nenad together drew a heart and placed the Serbian flag inside of it on the Arena dross.

The Third Day

Serbia entered the last day with the lead of 2:1 and with two match points. The crowded Arena was expecting a show. 20.000 people were waiting for the great duel between the former and the future racket number one! 20.000 people were full of agitations, but optimism as well. They all believed in Novak and his ability to bring a great joy to Serbia and to make Belgrade the real tennis centre of the world, at least for one day.

One hour before the match, in the crowded press conference room the atmosphere was very lively, it got even better when totally unexpected information appeared - Hewitt won't play! The best Australian player had got a stomach virus, so he had to give his place to Guccione. As the Australian team had explained, Lewitt had a fever during the night and couldn't get out of bed. The journalists were disappointed, but only a bit. It would be better to win in the grand style and to gain the placing in the world elite, but after the first shock and the reaction to this news everybody said: it is better this way!

Novak managed to bring Serbia the crucial third point. He won Chris Guccione by 3:0. There were many ups and downs of the Serbian player in this match, Guccione had great services, but Djokovic once again proved that he is the best when it is most necessary. Once again he proved to be the king of tiebreaks. In the 2nd set he celebrated - 7:3 and in the third 7:5 in tiebreak.

When Djokovic used the second match point the Arena exploded. Nenad Zimonjic, Janko Tipsarevic, Boris Pasanski, selector Bogdan Obradovic, the team's adviser Nikola Pilic and all the others from the bench flew to Novak, who didn't hide his joy. Charming Djokovic thanked to all the people in the Arena, even to the Australian fans, with the words: 'You annoyed me and I annoyed you, you were great, well done.' Serbia was celebrating, and Boris Pasanski had to finish the job. In the last match he defeated Peter Luchak by 2:1. The Arena wasn't crowded any more, but the fans of 'the white sport' remained and, with their support, Pasanski. brought to Serbia a great victory over the team which had never dropped out of World group of Davis Cup.

Serbia in the Elite

Serbia did celebrate and will continue to celebrate for a long time... At least till February next year. The Serbian Davis Cup team wasn't very lucky during the drawing of lots for the first round of World group. The rival is more than serious. The current champion of Davis Cup and this year's finalist - Russia. However, knowing these guys, their determination and, above all, their abilities, we have reasons to be optimistic. After the victory over Australia the Serbian national team moved from 20th to 15th place and it will move higher. We all believe in that...


(Published: 10.10.2007.)

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