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REUTERS: Novak Djokovic looked to have regained his confidence and form just in time for another concerted Wimbledon assault as he carved out an emphatic win over Gael Monfils in the Aegon International grasscourt final at Eastbourne on Saturday.
Djokovic once again wrapped up a 6-3 6-4 victory over the Frenchman he consistently gets the better of, lifting the title in his first visit to Devonshire Park without dropping a single set.
The Serb then confirmed on court that his friend, former Croatian player Mario Ancic, would be a new part of his coaching team, along with Andre Agassi, at Wimbledon next week.
“It was my first time at Eastbourne and I hope I can see you guys in the years to come,” Djokovic told the crowd. “This is the best possible preparation for next week, so hopefully I can go on from here.”
The ever-popular Monfils could only congratulate his conqueror and note ruefully: “Well done, Novak. We played for the 14th time and it’s 14-0. Well done again!”
It was only Djokovic’s second title of a difficult year in which he has struggled for form, faced injuries and split with his long-standing coaching team.
However, on Saturday just as throughout the week at a tournament whose organisers were delighted to offer him a wild card to compete, the 30-year-old seemed rejuvenated by the bracing English seaside air.
Monfils put up a decent challenge but Djokovic controlled affairs, breaking in the opening game and also to close out the first set before again striking at the end of a closely-contested second to seal victory in 76 minutes.
Djokovic, who lifted his 68th career title and his first grasscourt title outside Wimbledon, now heads for the grand slam in good heart as he seeks a fourth title there, where he will enjoy having 33-year-old Ancic in his coaching corner.
“Mario’s my very good friend,” said Djokovic. “Once he was number seven in the world and he beat (Roger) Federer at Wimbledon. He was very talented but was very unfortunate with injuries and illnesses that ended his career early.
“But we always stayed in touch and he’s one of the closest friends I ever had on the tour. He took a different direction in life, in the finiancial business, but I’ve dragged him back over to the sport.
“Now I’m really glad to spend time with him, and Agassi as well, in London.”
At Wimbledon, Djokovic will seek to become the first player to win an ATP World Tour title and a grand slam in consecutive weeks since Patrick Rafter won Long Island and the US Open in 1998.
REUTERS: Karolina Pliskova gave herself the perfect pre-Wimbledon tonic by lifting the Aegon International title on the grass at Eastbourne, defeating Caroline Wozniacki 6-4 6-4 in impressive style in Saturday’s final.
The Czech world number three demonstrated once again just why, with her big serves and crushing groundstrokes, she could be the one to beat at Wimbledon over the next fortnight as she annexed her third title of the season.
Denmark’s Wozniacki, the world number six who had hoped to regain the title she last won in 2009, held on in game fashion but succumbed to a break of serve in each set and, despite a second set push, could not dent Pliskova’s formidable delivery.
“This feels better,” said the 25-year-old Pliskova on court afterwards, comparing her feeling to the defeat in the same final last year.
Reminded that Jana Novotna had been the last Czech woman to win at Eastbourne before going to triumph at Wimbledon in the same year, she added: “My service is definitely my biggest weapon and if it’s working it causes the other player a lot of problems.
“I’m going to go step-by-step and hopefully I can go far at Wimbledon.”
Pliskova took command with a break for 3-2 in the first set and dropped only five points on serve as she took the stanza in 34 minutes.
In the middle of the second set, Pliskova finally faced an examination on serve, having to save four break points in one game and two in the next, but saved them all with a combination of fine serving and Wozniacki’s profligacy.
Pliskova sent down 10 aces as she wrapped up victory in one hour 22 minutes and it is hard to imagine she will not improve on her best previous Wimbledon performances, second round dates in each of the last four years.
For Wozniacki, another live contender in an open Wimbledon, it was a disappointing fourth defeat in four finals this season but she was still able to smile: “I would have loved to have won today but maybe fifth time is the charm as they say.
“I thought I played really well, but Karolina played better than me, definitely with the serves. I had trouble getting them back.”
