2013 Tennis Thread

[Smallville22]

Del Potro turns down Argentina over 'two-faced' approach

Juan Martin del Potro has declined to play in Argentina's Davis Cup tie against Italy next year and said efforts by the country's tennis association to get him back on the team were "two-faced".
The world number five said on Friday he was tired of receiving invitations by email and messages from the AAT and that he would not be available for the January 31-February 2 world group first round tie at home on clay.
"I won't be (available) in this first tie to be played against Italy," Del Potro said in a statement sent to AAT president Arturo Grimaldi and Davis Cup team captain Martin Jaite.
"I'm tired of being invited by email or messages and being pressured at the same time through certain media with stories about whether or not I'll play the Davis Cup, trying to make me look bad to public opinion.
"It seems to me a hypocritical two-faced stance, the same as last year when any reply or non-reply was quickly known by some journalists," wrote Del Potro, who was heavily criticised by fans and in some sections of the media for turning his country down in the past.
Del Potro told the AAT at the end of 2012 he would not play in the Davis Cup at all this year to concentrate on the ATP Tour but they have been trying to persuade him to return since Argentina lost their semi-final to the Czech Republic in Prague in September.
Argentina, who have reached the final four times, have already lost their outstanding Davis Cup campaigner David Nalbandian, who announced his retirement last month.
Del Potro said he had not been consulted by the AAT over some of its decisions despite being Argentina's top player.
"I was never consulted over the choice of captain, surfaces, venues etc, and once (the decisions) were made, like for the tie against the Czech Republic in 2012, my opinion was not considered," he said.
The 2012 semi-final defeat was the last time Del Potro, who won his opening singles against Radek Stepanek but pulled out of the Sunday singles against Tomas Berdych through injury, played in the Davis Cup.

 

[Smallville22]

Djokovic out of final doubles

Serbia's world number two Novak Djokovic has been left out of Saturday's doubles in the Davis Cup final against holders Czech Republic, with Nenad Zimonjic and Ilija Bozoljac named to play against Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek.
The teams were locked at 1-1 after Friday's opening singles, with Djokovic beating Stepanek in straight sets before Berdych redressed the balance against late replacement Dusan Lajovic, who stepped in for the injured Janko Tipsarevic.
Djokovic faces Berdych in Sunday's opening reverse singles before world number 117 Lajovic takes on Stepanek in a potentially decisive fifth rubber in the imposing Kombank Arena.
The Czechs are vying to become the first nation to retain the trophy since Spain won back-to-back titles in 2008 and 2009, while hosts Serbia are bidding for their second cup after winning it at the same venue in 2010.

 

[Smallville22]

Czech Republic lead after doubles rubber

Holders Czech Republic took a 2-1 lead over hosts Serbia in the Davis Cup final after Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek romped to a 6-2 6-4 7-6 (4) win over Nenad Zimonjic and Ilija Bozoljac in Saturday's doubles.
The result put the Czechs firmly in the driving seat with Berdych now facing world number two Novak Djokovic in Sunday's opening singles before Stepanek takes on Dusan Lajovic, a late replacement for the injured Janko Tipsarevic, or Bozoljac.
An exhausted Djokovic, who arrived in his hometown after winning four tournaments and 22 matches on the trot before recording a straight-sets victory over Stepanek on Friday, was rested for the doubles.
"Djokovic was totally honest this morning and said that while he was prepared to spend every last ounce of energy in the singles, asking him to play in the doubles too would have been too much," Serbia captain Bogdan Obradovic told a news conference.
"These two guys beat some really good teams, including the Bryan brothers (in the quarter-final win over the U.S.), so putting them together was a logical choice given the circumstances and we have no regrets at all.
"We've been here many times before and if Djokovic beats Berdych to level the score we are confident we can clinch it in the fifth rubber although we are in a very tough situation," added Obradovic.
Berdych and Stepanek improved their Davis Cup doubles record as a pair to 14-1 with an effervescent performance in the packed Kombank Arena, with several hundred colourful Czech fans often gaining the upper hand over 15,000 home supporters in terms of noise.
The away contingent let off their loud horns and danced to the tunes of a Serbian brass-band brought in to put some wind in the home team's sails.
Volleying past their opponents almost at will and carving them open with passing shots time and again, the Czech duo broke both Zimonjic's and Bozoljac's serve in the opening set as the Serbians also committed too many unforced errors.
With the flat-looking Zimonjic dropping his serve again in the opening game of the second set, the visitors comfortably held on to their advantage as Stepanek ran both Serbs ragged with devastating forays to the net.
The Czechs faced their only break point of the match in the fifth game of the third set but Stepanek held serve after a pair of audacious volleys and the champions then stormed back from a 3-1 deficit in the tiebreak to seal victory in two hours 12 minutes.
"We complement each other on the court and that's why we work well in the doubles," said Stepanek.
"This is one of the best Davis Cup doubles matches I've ever played but a lot of the credit goes to Berdych and our fantastic fans who sacrifice so much to follow us around the world and are an unofficial team member.
"We are in a good position to retain the title but we have to stay humble and focused because we face two difficult singles tomorrow."
Should Djokovic redress the balance on Sunday, Obradovic faces another painful selection dilemma as he prepares to choose between Bozoljac and Lajovic who was brushed aside by Berdych on Friday.
"We have to sit down and see what the best course of action is," said Serbia's captain.
"I will talk to the entire squad and make a decision but obviously our first priority is to keep the tie alive and we certainly can't take for granted that Djokovic will beat a player of Berdych's quality."
The Serbs fought back from 2-1 down in the 2010 semis against the Czechs, in the final against France when they won their maiden Davis Cup title and in this year's semis against Canada, each time in the imposing Kombank Arena.

 

[Smallville22]

Djokovic beats Berdych to force final decider

Serbian world number two Novak Djokovic forced the Davis Cup final against holders Czech Republic into a decisive fifth rubber on Sunday with a 6-4 7-6(5) 6-2 win over Tomas Berdych in the opening reverse singles.
The home team's Dusan Lajovic will face Radek Stepanek with Serbia chasing their second title after beating France in 2010, while the Czechs aim to become the first team to retain the silverware since Spain won back-to-back honours in 2008 and 2009.
Djokovic came out on top after a titanic tussle in the opening two sets, converting his 10th break point in the final game of the first to gain the upper hand and then clinched a rollercoaster tiebreak in the second after winning the last three points.
Both players produced tennis of the highest quality, rifling in aces, passing shots and volleys in a packed Kombank Arena where 17,000 fans created a cracking atmosphere.
Having failed to get back into the match after leading 4-2 in the tiebreak, Berdych was on the back foot in the third set as the effervescent Djokovic turned on the heat with the support of passionate home supporters and a brass band playing an ancient Serb battlesong.
He broke the Czech's serve in the opening game of the third set and raced through it to seal his victory with an ace after two hours and 41 minutes of absorbing tennis, drawing a standing ovation from the terraces.

 

[Smallville22]

Czech Republic beat Serbia to retain title

The Czech Republic retained their Davis Cup title after Radek Stepanek ruthlessly exploited the inexperience of Dusan Lajovic in the decisive rubber to seal a 3-2 final victory over Novak Djokovic's Serbia on Sunday.
The Czechs, who became the first nation to retain the Davis Cup since Spain in 2009, lifted the trophy after Stepanek's 6-3 6-1 6-1 victory amid wild cheers by several hundred visiting fans in the imposing Kombank Arena.
Djokovic ensured the final went to the wire by beating Tomas Berdych 6-4 7-6(5) 6-2 to level the tie at 2-2 but there was to be no repeat of Serbia's epic 3-2 final victory over France three years ago.
The world number two did not have the right support cast this time round with Janko Tipsarevic sidelined due to a foot injury and Viktor Troicki banned for missing a blood test in April.
The 117th-ranked Lajovic was thrown into the fray and had 17,000 noisy Serbian fans on their feet after he broke Stepanek, a former top-10 player now ranked 44th, in the opening game.
But that turned out to be the high point for the 23-year-old as his opponent highlighted the gulf in class between the two players.
"The match was the same (as last year's final), under the biggest possible pressure that can be," Stepanek, who beat Spain's Nicolas Almagro in the decisive rubber 12 months ago, said in a courtside interview.
"I knew that I would want to use the experience from last year's final. I controlled the match apart from the first game and I think I played in my best form ever this weekend.
"Of course, it is more difficult to defend the title, but I think we used the experience from last year and we earned it."
Stepanek combined his baseline and volleying skills to good effect, running Lajovic ragged with stinging forehands to carve out easy net points as the despairing Serbian bench watched on helplessly.
Earlier in the day, Djokovic came out on top against world number seven Berdych after a titanic tussle in the opening two sets.
He converted his 10th break point in the final game of the first, clinched a rollercoaster tiebreak in the second and wrapped up the third for the loss of only two games.
Djokovic blew kisses to the crowd and asked them to stay and support Lajovic's effort to punch above his weight, but it all ended in tears for Serbia as the stadium started to empty long before the 34-year-old Stepanek sealed victory with a searing smash down the line.
The result focused attention on the decision to leave Djokovic out of Saturday's doubles, which the Czechs won in straight sets, as well as naming Lajovic for the final singles instead of the more experienced and hard-hitting Ilija Bozoljac.
"We only had so many fit and eligible players to choose from and although I must take responsibility for the outcome as the decision maker, I have no regrets about the team selection in any of the rubbers," Serbia captain Bogdan Obradovic told a news conference.
"Missing two second-choice players was too big a blow and we just couldn't do more although we tried to cope with the tough situation as best we could. The positive thing is that we have expanded our Davis Cup team and we will keep the faith in our new arrivals."

 

[Smallville22]

Stepanek: Serbia left Ferrari in the garage

Serbia's decision to leave Novak Djokovic out of the doubles rubber of their Davis Cup final against Czech Republic was "like leaving a Ferrari in the garage", victorious opponent Radek Stepanek said on Sunday.
The Czechs wrapped up a 3-2 win to retain their title thanks to Stepanek's crushing straight-sets demolition of the inexperienced Dusan Lajovic in the decisive rubber.
The match, however, hinged on the outcome of the doubles with Djokovic winning both his singles ties and Stepanek, along with stand-in captain Vladimir Safarik, said they were surprised the world number two was rested.
"We expected him to play but that was their decision and we just focused on beating whoever was on the other side of the net," Safarik, deputising for the ill Jaroslav Navratil, told a news conference.
In Djokovic's absence, Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek romped to a 6-2 6-4 7-6(4) win over Nenad Zimonjic and Ilija Bozoljac to take a 2-1 lead heading into the final day.
Serbia were already weakened after losing Janko Tipsarevic to a foot injury and Viktor Troicki who was banned for missing a blood test in April.
"We only had so many fit and eligible players to choose from and although I must take responsibility for the outcome as the decision maker, I have no regrets about the team selection in any of the rubbers," Serbia captain Bogdan Obradovic said.
"Missing two second-choice players was too big a blow and we just couldn't do more although we tried to cope with the tough situation as best we could. The positive thing is that we have expanded our Davis Cup team and we will keep faith in our new arrivals."

 

[Smallville22]

Elena Baltacha announces retirement

Former British number one Elena Baltacha has retired from tennis with immediate effect.
Baltacha, 30, reached a career-high ranking of 49 in 2010 but injuries and surgery saw her career tail off in recent years and she now sits outside the top 200.
"It just feels it's the right time," Baltacha said in a statement released by the LTA. "My body has taken such a bruising over the last 16 years and that's finally taken its toll.
"I have had some amazing experiences through playing tennis - some incredible highs and some very low lows - and I wouldn’t change any of them but now my mind and my body are telling me it’s time to move on to a new phase of my life."
Born in Ukraine, Baltacha moved to England as a child with her professional footballer father Sergei, who represented the USSR. The family later moved to Scotland, where Elena was raised.
In a 16-year professional career, Baltacha won 11 ITF singles titles and four in the doubles. She never reached a WTA Tour final, but her Grand Slam record includes three third-round appearances, twice in Australia and once at Wimbledon.
Other career highlights include victories over Li Na and Francesca Schiavone, who were both top-10 players at the time.
Her most recent success was an impressive victory in Nottingham earlier this season, which was her first final since winning the tournament in 2010.
Baltacha, who suffers from a chronic liver condition, said she intends to remain in tennis.
"I want to take that passion and put it into learning to be the best coach I can be so that I can take all my experiences as a player and use that to help develop the next generation of British tennis players," she said.
"I am very committed to my Elena Baltacha Academy of Tennis, which I started with my coach Nino Severino. We believe that no matter what background you are from, that all children, rich or poor, should have the opportunity to play tennis. Hopefully we’ll produce a champion one day."

 

[Smallville22]

Baltacha to focus on coaching

Former British number one Elena Baltacha has signalled her intention to help bring through the next generation of tennis players after announcing the end of her playing career.
The 30-year-old, who competed in both the singles and doubles events at the London 2012 Olympics last summer, brought the curtain down on her 16-year playing career over the weekend.
Ranked as the best woman in Britain between December 2009 and June 2012, Baltacha reached a best of the third round of both the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
Her outing at London 2012, where she reached the second round of the singles and played in the doubles with Anne Keothavong, marked the end of her year with foot surgery following.
And, despite returning to full fitness and winning the Nottingham Challenge title in June this year, Baltacha has decided to hang up the racket in favour of coaching.
Baltacha hasn't played since failing in qualifying for the US Open back in August and she said: "It just feels it's the right time. My body has taken such a bruising over the last 16 years and that's finally taken its toll.
"I have had some amazing experiences through playing tennis, some incredible highs and some very low lows, and I wouldn't change any of them, but now my mind and my body are telling me it's time to move on to a new phase of my life.
"I still absolutely love tennis and I want to take that passion and put it into learning to be the best coach I can be so that I can take all my experiences as a player and use that to help develop the next generation of British tennis players."

 

[Smallville22]

ATP relocate Bangkok tournament to China

The 2014 ATP World Tour will feature a new tournament in Shenzhen, China, the ATP have announced.
The tournament will be held from September 22-28 at the Shenzhen Longgang Sports Center after the ATP Board of Directors approved the relocation of the World Tour 250 event from Bangkok.
Alison Lee, ATP executive vice president, said of the move: “China has long been a growing market for men’s professional tennis and we’re delighted to strengthen our presence in the region through the addition of this ATP World Tour 250 tournament in Shenzhen.”
The move means that China becomes the first country outside the United States to host ATP World Tour 250, 500 and Masters 1000 events.
“The new ATP World Tour event, Shenzhen Open, confirms the exponential growth of tennis in the People's Republic of China,” added tournament director Allon Khakshouri.

 

[Smallville22]

Djokovic beats Nadal in Chilean exhibition match

Novak Djokovic has beaten Rafael Nadal again, less than two weeks after his triumph at the ATP Tour Finals in London.
The Serb beat Nadal 7-6(3) 6-4 in Santiago, Chile, as both players help celebrate the retirement of former Olympic gold medallist Nicolas Massu.
Djokovic and Nadal played six competitive matches against each other in 2013 with both men winning three matches each.
Nadal leads the head-to-head series between the two 22-17.
The pair will play another match in Buenos Aires in Argentina on Sunday to mark the retirement of David Nalbandian.
Before the Nadal and Djokovic match, Massu and Nalbandian faced off against each other with Massu getting the win 6-4 6-2.

 

[Smallville22]

Bouchard named WTA's newcomer of the year

Canadian rising tennis star Eugenie Bouchard has been named the WTA's newcomer of the year.
The 19-year-old won the Wimbledon juniors in 2012 and started the season ranked 144 in the world.
However, she now finds herself ranked number 32 after a superb season when she reached the quarter-finals or better in five events.
Bouchard reached the last eight at the Premier-level events in Charleston and Tokyo but her best run came in Osaka where he reached the final. She also made the last four in Strasbourg and Quebec.
Bouchard enjoyed top 10 victories over Sam Stosur and Jelena Jankovic during the season and also beat Ana Ivanovic at Wimbledon.
Last week she spoke about her rise up the rankings on Canadian television: "I put enough pressure on myself, and that's really the only kind of pressure I want to focus on," she said in quotes picked up on by the WTA website.
"I can't really control other players' results and my ranking so much, so I just want to focus on improving and playing the best I can in every tournament.
"If there's pressure, that's great - I love playing in big moments, and in pressure moments."
Bouchard is the highest ranked teenager in the world in either the men's or women's game.

 

[Smallville22]

Halep named the WTA's most improved player

Romania's Simona Halep has been named the WTA's most improved player after a breakout season left her on the brink of cracking the Top 10.
Halep beat former US Open champion Samantha Stosur in the final of the Tournament of Champions in Sofia earlier this month to capture her sixth title of the year.
Winning the season-ending WTA event at the Armeets Arena in Bulgaria earned the 22-year-old Romanian a cheque for $270,000 (£155,000) and lifted her three places in the world rankings to a career-high 11th.
After a mediocre start to the year, Halep caught fire in June, winning titles at Nurnberg, Den Bosch and Budapest, then adding crowns at New Haven and Moscow.
"Next year will be tough because I'll have to defend all the points," Halep said after her win in Sofia.
"But I don't want to make any plans. I won a lot of titles this season, I played really well and it's not going to be easy next season. I just want to enjoy my time on the WTA tour and to feel the pleasure in every moment on the court."

 

[Smallville22]

Top WTA award for Serena after staggering season

Serena Williams has been named WTA player of the year for the fifth time after her dominant season.
The 32-year-old American won 11 titles in total during 2013 – including the French Open, the US Open and the WTA Championship.
The 17-times Grand Slam winner, who played won 78 matches during the season and lost only four, picked out her victory at Roland Garros as her favourite moment.
"Well, obviously the French Open was probably the thing that stands out most," she told the WTA website.
"I really wanted to win that for a number of years now, so that was definitely something exciting. And also being undefeated on clay was pretty exciting too. So my results on clay this year definitely stand out.
"Overall I'll remember the wins, but I also want to learn from my mistakes so I don't repeat them."
Serena also won the player of the year award in 2002, 2008, 2009 and 2012.
She won a staggering $12,385,572 in prize money during the season and February became the oldest world number one of all time.

 

[Smallville22]

Sharapova takes on Groeneveld as coach

Four-times Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova has hired Sven Groeneveld as her new coach for the 2014 season.
The Russian world number four made the announcement on her Facebook page on Thursday after being without a coach since parting ways with Jimmy Connors in August.
Connors lasted just a month after joining the 26-year-old following the Wimbledon tournament in July.
"I'm happy to announce my official partnership with Sven Groeneveld," Sharapova wrote.
"We've been working together since I got back on the court and after seeing him on the opposing side for so many years, I'm excited to have him become a part of my team.
"It has been a very seamless transition and I have had a lot of fun with the hard work we have put in so far. Looking forward to the year ahead."
Groeneveld has previously worked with other top players in Monica Seles, Mary Pierce and Ana Ivanovic.
Sharapova withdrew from the US Open with a shoulder injury and has not played since.
She is scheduled to return to competition at the Brisbane International tournament as she finalises her preparations for the Australian Open, the year's first Grand Slam.

 

[Smallville22]

Former American Davis Cup winner Mulloy turns 100

As the Davis Cup's centenary year draws to a close one of its most successful players Gardnar Mulloy, who helped the United States win the trophy on three occasions, has turned 100.
Mulloy, the oldest man to have won the men's doubles at Wimbledon when he teamed up with Budge Patty aged 43, was part of the U.S. sides in 1946, 1948 and 1949.
"Gardnar Mulloy is one of the iconic figures of ITF Seniors tennis. A three-time Davis Cup champion, he played a important role in the early development of veterans tennis, and has been a loyal and enthusiastic supporter ever since," ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti said in a statement.
Mulloy was instrumental in the early days of Seniors tennis and the over 80s category at the Seniors World Team Championships has its trophy named after him.
He won it aged 89 in 2003.

 

[Smallville22]

Federer can play until he is 60, says Nastase

Roger Federer should play until he is 60 if he wants to, according to Romanian former world number one Ilie Nastase.
The Swiss 17-times grand-slam champion has slipped down to sixth in the world rankings and won only one title this year, prompting many to suggest he is a spent force at 32.
Nastase the former bad boy of tennis, believes Federer should not listen to the naysayers, however.
"I wish people wouldn't say that Roger Federer has to retire," the 67-year-old former French Open and U.S. Open champion was quoted as saying in Romanian media.
"I think he should play for as long as he wants.
"I don't agree with those people who say that you should retire when you're past your absolute best or prime.
"No, Federer doesn't have to prove anything, he can play to 60 if he wants to."
Federer, who has spent a record 302 weeks as world number one during his illustrious career, is still one of the biggest draws in tennis, according to Nastase, even if he has fallen behind players such as Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
"If Federer wants to carry on playing, no-one is going to say: 'No, we don't want Federer to play'.
"He is going to retire when he feels like it. I don't think that he has to retire just because he is no longer the world number one. That happens to everybody, as you can't stay as the world number one forever. He retires whenever."
Nastase himself retired from the Tour at the age of 39 but continued playing invitational seniors events into his 60s.

 

[Smallville22]

Eurosport announces French Open deal until 2021

The Eurosport Group announced today it has started a new long-term partnership with the Fédération Française de Tennis (FFT) for pan-European coverage of Roland Garros, the French Open tennis Grand Slam tournament.
Brokered by MP&Silva, the international media rights agency, the new agreement covers live TV and digital rights until 2021 in all Eurosport’s European territories, (excluding host country, France). The new deal grants Eurosport exclusive Pay TV rights across Europe and also comprises all rights in 13 key markets, in particular in Italy and Spain, two strong tennis nations with a long tradition on clay.
The French Open will continue to be extensively covered on TV channels Eurosport and Eurosport 2, as well as available on PC, mobile, tablets and connected TV via Eurosport Player, Eurosport’s online TV service. Subscribers to Eurosport Player will continue to benefit from an ever-improved live multi-court service.

Jean Thierry Augustin, CEO, Eurosport Group said: “I’m really happy we’ve strengthened our partnership with the FFT. We have now taken it to a whole new level, both in length, until 2021, and intensity, with additional rights. I’m particularly delighted that we now hold full rights in Spain. Tennis is part of our DNA attracting millions. Our live coverage of Roland Garros alone reaches more than 60 million viewers each year on Eurosport and Eurosport 2.”

Michel Grach, Director of Media and Sponsorship at the French Tennis Federation said: “Eurosport is a key partner for us. Eurosport’s experience and top quality live coverage of the past 25 editions of Roland Garros contributes hugely to the international fame of our tournament. We can all expect an exciting edition in 2014 and we look forward to attracting massive audiences again in Europe. ”

Peter Hutton, Joint-CEO, MP&Silva comments: “We are very proud of our long term partnership with the French Tennis Federation, and delighted to be able to announce this new agreement with Eurosport. We are determined to further grow the visibility and profile of Roland Garros and this is a very significant step along the way, given Eurosport's commitment to the event and to the sport".

 

[Smallville22]

Bruguera to coach Gasquet in 2014

France's number one Richard Gasquet has secured the coaching services of double French Open winner Sergi Bruguera of Spain, sports daily L'Equipe reported on Wednesday.
L'Equipe said world number nine Gasquet, had told the paper that Bruguera, who triumphed at Roland Garros in 1993 and 1994, would start in February.
Gasquet, who parted with Italian coach Riccardo Piatti during the ATP World Tour finals earlier this month, will still work with compatriot Sebastien Grosjean.
Under Piatti and Grosjean this year, Gasquet reached the U.S. Open semi-finals and claimed a World Tour finals spot for the first time since 2007.

 

[Smallville22]

Tomic links up with Croatian coach during dad's ban

Australian number one Bernard Tomic has appointed Croatian Velimir Zovko as his new co-coach while his father John serves the remainder of a ban for assaulting his former training partner.
Tomic, currently ranked 51st in the world, said he would continue to be coached by his father away from tournaments as he targets a rise into the top 20 this year.
"This guy will be more there on court, spending more hours with me," the 21-year-old told the Sydney Morning Herald.
"My dad will sort of be less, but obviously my dad knows me best, and if he sees something that's obviously wrong or mistaken then they'll have a talk about it outside of tennis.
"He's from Croatia, he speaks my language, and it's very important for me to have a good communication, someone that understands me, my background, because it's not easy - I'm a difficult sort of guy," Tomic added.
Former taxi driver John Tomic was sentenced to eight months in prison by a Spanish court in September for head-butting Frenchman Thomas Drouet and breaking his nose.
Tomic was not required to serve jail time because his sentence was under two years in length.
The ATP decided last year to withhold his accreditation for all tour events and will consider whether to lift the ban next May.
His son, long-touted as the great hope for Australian men's tennis and a Wimbledon quarter-finalist in 2011, made headlines in Australia recently after being pictured celebrating his 21st birthday in a Gold Coast nightclub.
Tomic has recently moved his base from Queensland, however, and will work with former Croatian Olympic team coach Zovko at the National Tennis Centre in Melbourne.
"From what I've heard, he's disciplined, it's something what I need, and it's obviously something new. I'm looking forward," Tomic said.
"I can't say what he can bring, but obviously I'm going to pick it up throughout the weeks as they go by and hopefully it can work out."
Tomic will start his season at the Hopman Cup team event in Perth before defending his maiden ATP title at the Sydney International in the week before the Australian Open, which starts on January 13.

 

[Smallville22]

Nadal to return to Buenos Aires event after nine years

World number one Rafael Nadal will play in the Buenos Aires ATP tournament in February for the first time since 2005, the Spaniard said on Wednesday.
The tournament to be held at the Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club from Feb. 10 to 16 is part of the Latin American swing of claycourt events which also includes tournaments in Chile, Brazil and Mexico.
"After a time when I was unable to go, this year I'm going to return to the Buenos Aires tournament and I'm excited to play the Copa Claro again," Nadal said in a video shown at a news conference.
Nadal lost to Argentine Gaston Gaudio, the 2004 French Open champion, in the quarter-final of the 2005 Buenos Aires tournament at the start of a glittering career that has included 13 grand slam titles, eight at Roland Garros.
"We're very happy to have Rafa, to have a world number one playing for the points in Argentina," said tournament director Martin Jaite, who is also his country's Davis Cup captain.
Nadal made his comeback from a long injury layoff at the Vina del Mar tournament in Chile last February, launching a comeback that took him back to the top of the rankings last month.
He was in Argentina last month for exhibition matches against world number two Novak Djokovic and retired Argentine former number three David Nalbandian's farewell to tennis.
Buenos Aires champion David Ferrer will not be defending his title.