Grand Slam winners Juan Martin Del Potro and Novak Djokovic warmed up for next week's Australian Open with comprehensive opening victories Wednesday at the Kooyong Classic
Grand Slam winners Juan Martin Del Potro and Novak Djokovic warmed up for next week's Australian Open with comprehensive opening victories Wednesday at the Kooyong Classic.
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Del Potro, winner of the US Open title four months ago over Roger Federer, got onto court for the first time since losing the November season-ending final in London to Nikolay Davydenko, emerging with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Ivan Ljubicic.
The veteran Croatian was drafted into the eight-man tournament field when world number one Roger Federer declined the place he had been offered.
2008 Australian Open champion Djokovic, world number three behind Federer and Rafael Nadal, needed less than an hour to defeat Tommy Haas 6-2, 6-3 after two losses to the 31-year-old German in 2009.
The fourth-ranked Del Potro has been given a boost thanks to his New York title and appearance at the World Tour Finals little more than a month ago.
"I feel good with my tennis, I feel confident," said the 21-year-old Argentine. "Of course, to beat Roger in the (US Open) final gave to me a lot of motivation and confidence to keep trying, keep working.
"When I go to the court with Roger, Rafa, I don't feel too much different. That's important for the career for the future, and of course if I want to fight for the number one ranking."
Del Potro broke Ljubicic twice in the opening set and kept up the pressure to sweep to victory.
After a two-day heat wave, Melbourne temperatures had dropped considerably, with overcast skies and wind.
"The weather conditions were tough, and it was windy," said Del Potro. "I served well and that's important for this kind of match, this kind of surface.
"It's a good victory for the beginning of the season."
Djokovic said he enjoyed being Down Under.
"I got used to playing good tennis on Australian soil, I'm always happy to come back, I have a lot of support," he said.
The Serb, who retired in the 2009 quarter-finals against Andy Roddick because of sweltering conditions, said: "Heat is not one of my allies, that's for sure. But I definitely love playing here so I'm very excited about the tournament."
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