‘Looking to improve’

Novak Djokovic (right) with Nick Kyrgios during their loss to Michael Venus and Nikola Mektic in Brisbane yesterday. Pic/AFP

After winning just one tournament in 2024 - a Paris Olympics gold medal - former No. 1 Novak Djokovic says he, and with new coach Andy Murray's input, has a plan to take on the game's newcomers.

Nothing radical, he says, but enough to give him a chance against the likes of 23-year-old top-ranked Jannik Sinner, who won the Australian Open and U.S. Open last year, and No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz, who is 21 and who won the other two Grand Slam tournaments, Wimbledon and the French Open.

Andy Murray

The seventh-ranked Djokovic began his quest for a 100th ATP title with a 6-3, 6-3 defeat of Australian wild-card entry Rinky Hijikata. A win in Brisbane would be an ideal set-up for a record 25th Grand Slam singles title in Melbourne for the already 10-time Australian Open champion.

Djokovic said he would use a second meeting with rival-turned-coach Murray to make small tweaks in his game. "I'm not looking to transform my game completely... I'm not going to be Giovanni [rising 21-year-old French star Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard] serving two first serves and coming in to the net," Djokovic told Australian Associated Press. "But I definitely am looking to improve, even if it's the slightest percentage, every single shot that I have in my game, and maybe something that people don't necessarily see is this court positioning, the transition play, the tactics."

And he's prepared to put in time on the practice court. "Physically, mentally, as well and ready to compete, whatever it takes, however many hours it takes with the youngsters," he said. "The week before Australian Open [we will] do a lot of video analysis of my main opponents, top guys, trying to understand how my game matches up."

Meanwhile, The new doubles team of Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios are out of the Brisbane International in the second round.

The pair lost 2-6, 6-3, 8-10 Wednesday to the top-seeded team of Nikola Mektic of Croatia and New Zealander Michael Venus. A Djokovic double-fault with the duo leading 8-6 in the match tie-break was key to the defeat.

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