By Alberto Amalfi | Monday, January 6, 2020
Novak Djokovic and childhood buddy Viktor Troicki won a pulsating doubles match sending Serbia into the last eight of the inaugural ATP Cup.
Photo credit: ATP Cup
Chants of "Serbia! Serbia!" were ringing in their ears inside Pat Rafter Arena.
Novak Djokovic and Viktor Troicki answered the call emphatically.
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Djokovic and Troicki dominated the third-set tie break squeezing out a 6-3, 6-7(5), 10-3 thriller over Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin clinching Serbia's 2-1 victory over France in ATP Cup action in Brisbane.
Reigning Australian Open champion Djokovic delivered both victories on the day sending Serbia to Sydney for the last eight of the 24-team inaugural competition.
The Serbian No. 1 swept Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-2 to level the Group A tie after a boisterous Benoit Paire staked France to the lead with a 6-2, 6-7(6),6-4 win over Dusan Lajovic.
Djokovic said the family feel of the Serbian team stokes his competitive spirit.
"I really show my emotion because I really care about playing for Serbia, but I also care about being on the team with my friends," Djokovic said. "These guys are some of my best friends in my life and I grew up with Viktor. We played so many doubles matches together in junior days."
Djokovic denied all nine break points he faced in a 91-minute conquest of Monfils raising his career record against the acrobatic Frenchman to 16-0. Djokovic won 12 of 17 points played on Monfils' second serve converting all three of his break-point chances.
“I was unable to take the opportunities,” Monfils said. “He was very efficient on break points and I think the big points. Today I was a little bit struggling to win the big points.”
Vocal Serbian fans brought out the best in the childhood buddies down the stretch.
“We really feel not just like playing at home, even better than that," Troicki said. "They're really fantastic, they're treating us unbelievable, and it was a great experience to play tonight in front of them.”
The Serbian squad, which departed Madrid in tears following its loss in the Davis Cup Finals in November, captured Group A to join Group F victor Australia as the second nation to qualify for the last eight.
"See you in Sydney!" Djokovic told Serbian fans before departing.