DOĐITE NA DEJVIS KUP U NIŠ Mečevi prvog kola Svetske grupe Dejvis kupa 2018. godine izme- đu Srbije i Sjedinjenih Američkih Država odigraće se od 2. do 4. fe- bruara u niškom Čairu . Igraće se na šljaci, a prvi put posle više od dve decenije za taj meč neće konkurisati Nenad Zimonjić, koji se povlači iz nacionalnog tima i ubuduće će obavljati funkciju selek- tora Dejvis kup reprezentacije Srbije. Kad smo broj slali u štampu, još nije bilo poznato da li će Novak Đoković igrati za reprezentaci- ju, kao i Filip Krajinović zbog povrede. ATTEND THE DAVIS CUP IN NIŠ The round one match in the World Group of the 2018 Davis Cup, be- tween Serbia and the United States, will be played at Niš’s Čair Hall from 2 nd to 4 th February. The match will be played on clay and will be Serbia’s first Davis Cup match in more than two decades not to feature Nenad Zi- monjić, who is retiring from Serbia’s Davis Cup national team as a play- er but will continue in the role of a selector. At the time of printing this issue, it was not yet known whether Novak Đoković and Filip Krajinović would be playing for the national team, due to injury. .
tion. I was in the top 100 once, I can’t now return to the lowest ranking – this Som- bor native told friends. And then came the support of his parents. - I was supposed to travel for the qualifiers for the challenger tournament in Heilbronn. I said to my Dad:“I can’t do it anymore! I’m con- sidering giving it all up! It’s not carrying on like this!”He looked at me, thinking.Then he told me:“Just go to this tournament, try, and we’ll talk afterwards!” I listened to him, went and won the trophy, and did so via qualifications and without losing a set! That was a turning point in 2017. Dad, as always, was right. I real- ised that tennis is my life, and that one doesn’t give up on life! Since that event in May, Filip has won five cups at challenger tournaments, and at the end of the year he caused an earthquake in tennis when he reached the final of the Paris Masters. He is currently ranked 34 th worldwide and is slowly reaping the fruits of his work. - None of this would have happened if I didn’t believe or have the support of my family and friends. Only my closest friends know how it was for me. Friends from the national team gave me support, and I’ll be grateful to them forever for that. I’m unbe- lievably happy and proud. I tried, worked hard, gave it my all! I did not want to stop. The only regret is that I didn’t win in Par- is, but there will be time for that. I want to reach new heights in 2018. Filip’s good play coincided with the start of his cooperation with coach Petar Popović. -“Pera”is an incredible motivator. He
helps me a lot. We clicked immediately; that Novi Sad-Sombor connection worked from the start. I listen to everything he tells me. I previously had great respect for other players, then Pera explained to me that excessive respect could only trouble me. That’s why I now enter every match without fear. Krajinović confirms for us that success is essentially a culmination of small failures, but also that its price is commitment and determination. - The week where I played unbeliev- ably in Paris and later achieved the best ranking in my career and woke up ranked 33 rd did not come by chance. It contained all the failures, falls, elevations and doubts I’ve fought with all these years. He paused, then tried to explain what his route to the top looked like. He care- fully chooses his words... - At the age of 13, I went to the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida. I was declared one of the world’s most promising juniors. Everyone predicted a dazzling fu- ture for me. And then... by the age of 18 I’d had operations on both my hands. Injury problems didn’t pass me by. Just as I start- ed playing again, I would injure myself and have to take break again. I would fix one place, then pain would emerge elsewhere. I got sick, contracted mononucleosis, lost weight. All of that reflects on the psyche. It’s not easy when you know that at one point, as a very young player, you trained with Federer, who praised you and said that you have incredible potential, then you’re lying in bed and are unable to do what you
Jedino ostaje žal što nisam osvojio Pariz, ali biće vremena The only regret is that I didn’t win in Paris, but there will be time for that
I n order to succeed, your desire for success must outweigh your fears of failure. That’s what wise people say. In February last year, 26-year-old Fil- ip Krajinović was ranked as the world’s 246 th best tennis player. He was injured, suffering from mononucleosis, trying to train. He would go to a tournament, but would have to stop as soon as it started. Despite this, during his worst moments he told the public: “This will be my year, remember that!” Just three months after that state- ment, in May 2017, Krajinović found him- self ranked 294 th . He could no longer even play challenger events. He went back to fu- tures. Only Filip’s closest friends knew the kind of hell he was going through. - I can’t play futures, I have no motiva-
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