Joker Djokovic keeps press sweet

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NOVAK Djokovic was in a giving mood.

"Relax, enjoy, come on - it's free," he coaxed as he walked among a throng of journalists offering round a box of chocolates yesterday.

"You're all asking such serious questions," he added, explaining that he was making it a tradition to treat the media to a "sweet delight" in his first and last official press conferences each year.

He won't be as generous when he begins his Australian Open campaign at Rod Laver Arena tonight against Lukas Lacko, despite them being long-time friends.

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There is more at stake than photos and a headline.

Djokovic is seeking to extend his Open-era record to a fourth consecutive Australian crown, his fifth title in Melbourne overall.

He has won 21 straight matches at Melbourne Park and is unlikely to trip up against a player ranked 96th in the world.

Both 26, Djokovic and Lacko will face each other on the court for the first time as professionals, having played together as juniors.

Lacko successfully negotiated qualifying at the Auckland lead-up tournament before losing in the second round to eventual champion John Isner.

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The 26-year-old from Slovakia reached the Australian Open second round last year, where he was defeated by Janko Tipsarevic, and the third round in 2012, losing to Rafael Nadal.

How Djokovic approaches their match is important and, if yesterday was any indication, the Serbian world No.2 is relaxed.

But the addition of six-time major winner Boris Becker to his coaching team should ensure Djokovic is not too relaxed.

"I guess that's where the biggest help would come from, the mental aspect, and obviously working with some elements in the game," Djokovic said.

"We look forward to working with each other. It's just the beginning.

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"I still haven't played with him. I really look forward to practising with him. He has problems with his ankles a little bit. He had surgery recently."

And while admitting there was an element of risk changing a winning formula by bringing Becker into an already successful set-up with long-time coach Marian Vijda, Djokovic is determined to see the arrangement work.

"Whenever you make a change in life, it's a potential risk, right? How is it going to affect you? But I don't want to think from that perspective," Djokovic said.

"I'm excited about this partnership that I have with Boris that also has been approved and supported by Marian, who is still in the team ... they have a great communication.

"All I see is positive results, and hope for that obviously. I cannot predict or promise anything now."

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Hewitt enjoying the Aus Open ride

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LLEYTON Hewitt remembers it well.

The only singles match he has ever played on an outside court at the Australian Open.

It was against two-time French Open champion Sergi Bruguera, who "hit spin on his forehand that I'd never seen before".

Hewitt lost in straight sets. He was 15.

"It's the only time I never played on Rod Laver Arena," recalled a resurgent Hewitt ahead of tomorrow's clash with Andreas Seppi, the Australian's 18th consecutive appearance at his home Grand Slam.

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"When I stop playing, it's something I'll be pretty proud of, wherever it stops, whatever number, 18 in a row, and in singles main draw as well.

"I wouldn't have dreamt of that as my first one in '97 as a 15 year old, that's for sure. I didn't think I'd be playing anywhere near (age) 30.

"To still be going just before my 33rd birthday is something I'm happy with."

Hewitt appears to be soaking up the experience and the time he has left in the game, even teaming up with Pat Rafter for a tilt at doubles.

And he is playing eye-catching tennis, having claimed the Brisbane International title in brutal conditions, similar to the 41C temperatures forecast for his seventh career clash with Seppi. The pair have split their matches 3-3.

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Hewitt was not bothered by the heat, having already faced it in Brisbane.

"That was good preparation," he said.

"It's going to be a dryer heat here, not as humid as up in Brisbane. You still have to do all the right precautions."

Hewitt has not lost a lead-up match, while Seppi has not won one, having lost to Australian Marinko Matosevic in Sydney.

"But he made round of 16 here last year and beat quality players and lasted five set matches as well," Hewitt said.

"In the back of his mind he's going to be happy to be coming back here.

"Then again, he probably didn't want to play me in the first round."

Lleyton Hewitt put Andy Murray to the sword in a Melbourne exhibition match with a 7-6 (7-1) 7-6 (7-4) win.

Rafter has been hugely impressed with Hewitt's season so far.

"Lleyton of old, digging out matches," Rafter said of his Brisbane campaign, where he beat Roger Federer in the final.

"It was just great to see him reignite those old days, seeing the way he handled himself in the final against Federere was impressive.

"He loves the occasion. He loves being out here. He loves playing. His professionalism, there's no one else out there like him."

Hewitt has also caught the attention of No. 2 seed Novak Djokovic.

" Whenever he's fit and ready, he still can beat anyone," Djokovic said.

"He has proven that winning against Roger in Brisbane. He's in great form. We can expect him to make some damage here in Melbourne Park."

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Debutant inspired by countrymen

Nick Kyrgios of Australia plays a backhand. Source: Scott Barbour / Getty Images

AUSTRALIAN teenager Nick Kyrgios says he's drawn inspiration from the summer form of leading countrymen Lleyton Hewitt and Bernard Tomic as he prepares to make his Australian Open debut.

The 18-year-old will face German world No.81 Benjamin Becker in the first round at Melbourne Park after earning a wildcard into the men's draw.

While his own path into the Open was disrupted by shoulder injury, Kyrgios said he had taken confidence from the performances of Brisbane International winner Hewitt and Sydney International runner-up Tomic.

``I did a lot of training with Bernard in the pre-season and he is really knuckling down. It showed last week how far he has come," Kyrgios said.

``He is playing (Rafael) Nadal this week and I don't think Nadal is going to be resting easy playing Bernard, he is playing some really good tennis.

``Obviously those guys are setting a good example for us next generation.''

The junior champion at Melbourne Park last year, Kyrgios was forced to withdraw from the Brisbane and Sydney lead-in tournaments but yesterday declared his injured shoulder ready for his first Australian Open.

``I have done all the right things for it the last couple of weeks,'' Kyrgios said.

``Unfortunately, I couldn't play Brisbane or Sydney, but it's feeling good and I think it will hold up for the Australian Open.''

Despite his interrupted preparation, Kyrgios said he had made big strides since his junior title win last year and was confident he could perform on the big stage.

``I have had a lot of experience the last year,'' Kyrgios said.

Nick Kyrgios of Australia hits a backhand return. Source: AFP

``I played a couple of main draw men's grand slam and I am accustomed to the experience and how it feels so I am confident that I will go out there and perform pretty well.''

Kyrgios considered his first-round opponent Becker, who has not progressed beyond the second round in six apperances at Melbourne Park, a solid player on the tour.

``It could be a lot worse, but he has obviously proven himself to be a solid player on the tour, he has been around for a long time,'' he said.

``I am going to go out there and do what I do best and we'll see how it goes.''

Fellow Australian wildcard, 17-year-old Thanasi Kokkinakis, said he would be backing his own game when he takes on Dutch world No.69 Igor Sijsling in his first Grand Slam main draw match tomorrow (Tuesday).

``You have got to think every match is winable otherwise you have no chance of winning,'' Kokkinakis said.

``That's what I am going to go in with. I have beaten some good players the last couple of weeks so that gives me confidence, especially for this first round.

``I will probably be a little bit nervous coming out but then I have just got to focus on playing the ball and play my game.''

Kokkinakis believed this week's forecast extreme heat could help the Australian players, who are used to the conditions.

``We have grown up and brought up here so we we used to the weather a little bit,'' he said.

``Some of the European guys just came from really cold so I think we've got the advantage there. I feel pretty fit and I'm sure Nick does as well with the off-seasons that we've had.''

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Heat coach gives players a serve

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STUART Law wanted the Gabba to become a fortress. Instead it remains a torture chamber for the battling Brisbane Heat.

Despite the urgings of a record crowd, the Heat fell to their sixth loss from their past eight home matches spanning two summers on Saturday night to leave their hopes of defending the Big Bash title on the brink of extinction.

Modest batting gave the Heat a below par total of 7-144 which the Stars ran down in the last over.

The Heat, with just two wins from six games, finish the fixture rounds with away games against Adelaide on Saturday and the Hurricanes in Hobart five days later.

There is a chance that winning both games would allow them to sneak into the finals but that is far from certain.

"Our hopes of making the semis are pretty slim," Heat coach Law said.

"We are relying on other results and that is a horrible place to be. You never like to rely on other people to get you there.

"I wanted the Gabba to be a fortress but it has not turned out that way. We have played pretty timid cricket and have not executed well enough.

"There has been some mental blockages and we have probably got too funky at times and forgotten about the basics. That can happen when you get under pressure.

"Everyone has to look at themselves in the mirror. We are making the same mistakes over and over. We are going to have to sit down and discuss our options.

"I keep hearing that Ben Cutting should bat higher but if the top six are doing their jobs it would not be up to him.''

Test star Ryan Harris and experienced spin duo Dan Vettori and Nathan Hauritz are likely to be fit from injury for Saturday's match, and the Heat will hope their arrivals are not too late to make a difference.

Harris will have a medical on Wednesday and Cricket Australia will have the final say on whether he is available after battling a knee injury for most of the summer.

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Berisha going nowhere in January

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BESART Berisha has quashed any thought of a January departure from Brisbane, saying his sole objective was regaining the A-League championship in what could be his final season in Roar colours.

With his Brisbane contract expiring at the end of the ­current campaign, the A-League's best striker said he was set to make a decision on his future next month for his and the Roar's sake.

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The 28-year-old Albanian international has already ­attracted interest from cashed-up A-League clubs, including Sydney and Newcastle, while he is also considering a return to Europe for family reasons.

However, Berisha declared he would not be leaving Australia during the current transfer window, having some unfinished business to take care of in Brisbane.

"Clubs have called but I'm definitely staying here until the end of the season,'' said Berisha, who scored in his comeback from a hip injury in first-placed Brisbane's 2-1 loss to Adelaide United at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.

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"All I'm focused on is ­winning the title. I can see us winning it and I don't want to be distracted by anything else.

"I'll probably decide what I'm going to do by the end of February, which is only fair to the club."

Roar fans have got a taste this season of life without ­Berisha, who has missed six of Brisbane's 14 games through injury.

For the first time in 64 A-League appearances, the ­former Hamburg marksman was named among the Roar substitutes on Saturday in his return from his latest two-match ­absence.

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It was a brave call from ­Brisbane coach Mike Mulvey, but Berisha backed the decision, saying he was not fully fit and that it would have been difficult to change an attack that had performed so well in scoring eight goals in the ­previous two games.

"This is part of football and you need to be professional about these things. It's normal to start on the bench in this situation," he said.

"If I'm (fully) fit, I believe I play from the start and everyone at the club respects that.

"The way I was used on ­Saturday was perfect. A striker doesn't need to play 90 minutes. You can score a goal in five minutes on the field."

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Berisha played for 35 minutes against Adelaide and inspired a 10-man Roar, who earlier had Diogo Ferreira sent off, with both his goal and his enthusiasm.

Mulvey said his leading marksman had made a "strong case" for a return to the starting side this Friday when the Roar visit Perth to meet the Glory.

It could be a decision made easier by the potential unavailability of marquee man Thomas Broich, who was left battered and bruised by the brutal Reds.

Shane Stefanutto (L) of the Roar screams out to the referee for a penalty. Source: Getty Images

Socceroos fullback Ivan Franjic, a late withdrawal on Saturday because of a stomach strain, is also facing at least another week on the sidelines, where he will be joined by the suspended Ferreira.

Franjic's weekend absence led to an unexpected start for Shane Stefanutto, who had missed the previous 10 matches with a hamstring injury.

Mulvey defended his decision to start Stefanutto ahead of Jack Hingert despite the veteran's early error leading to Adelaide's first goal from Jeronimo.

"Shane had done all the work. He was ready to play," Mulvey said.

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Cash praises fairer, faster surface

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DUAL Australian Open finalist Pat Cash has hailed the quickening of Melbourne Park courts, revealing he approached senior tournament officials two years ago pleading for a faster - and fairer - surface.

The 1987 Wimbledon champion says medium-paced Plexicushion will reward all players, encouraging more attacking tennis while still suiting defensive counter-punchers.

Writing in the Sunday Times, Cash said: "Finally, sense prevails at the Australian Open.

"The likes of Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray might not be too happy about the news but it seems the court surfaces at Melbourne Park this year are going to be quicker than they have been for many years and for me that's great.

"Now attacking play will be rewarded, and for me, there will hopefully be a move towards something that's almost become extinct in the modern game; variety.

"Let's not beat about the bush here; tennis is not a sport solely for back-court players.

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"And by that I mean those aforementioned three guys who have cleaned up in 11 of the last 12 grand slam tournaments.

"Sure, one major reason for this statistic is Nadal, Djokovic and Murray have simply been better than the rest but they are by nature all baseline counter-punchers.

"However a major factor in their success has been the conditions, which have by and large just got slower due to the type of surfaces and the balls used perfectly suiting the trio's athletic retrieving style."

Cash contested the last Australian Open final decided at Kooyong against Swede Stefan Edberg in 1987 and the first Australian Open final played at Melbourne Park against another Swede Mats Wilander in '88.

The Victorian serve-volleyer lost both matches in five sets.

But he has always maintained the conditions on Rebound Ace in '88 suited both his net-rushing and Wilander's baseline-hugging style.

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Cash said frustration with conditions in 2012, when Djokovic and Nadal spent a record 5hrs, 53mins disputing the final, prompted his approach to officials.

"Two years ago I went to see Steve Wood, who those days was Tennis Australia's chief executive, and Craig Tiley, the Australian Open tournament director," he said.

"I came straight to the point and told them what they were doing was ridiculous.

"The courts were getting rougher and slower and within ten or so hits of the rackets, the balls were getting severely fluffed up.

"I do not exaggerate when I say they became 10% bigger and therefore significantly slower through the air.

"The entertainment value was suffering because good shots and attacking tactics weren't being rewarded. And I think I know that's what the Aussie tennis public has been brought up wanting to see.

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"Many crave the old days of serve and volley but the minimum is at least some ventures towards the net.

"At long last, advancing forward and looking for the volley potentially appears a winning tactic again.

"At the time Wood and Tiley looked at me as if I was somebody who had just landed from Mars but I must have struck some kind of nerve because this year the surface has been speeded up and the balls they will be using don't fluff up as much."

Despite the slicker conditions, Cash believes Djokovic is still the measuring stick.

"I would be very surprised if Novak Djokovic isn't in contention for the big prize again," Cash said.

"He's won the title three years in a row, he also came out on top in 2008 and it's obvious he is supremely confident as soon as he walks out on Rod Laver Arena.

"Sure he'd probably like things a bit slower but his new coach Boris Becker revealed when things were quick so that little bit of expertise in the camp could be crucial.

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"As for Roger Federer his employment of Stefan Edberg who will surely be working with him on his flailing net play could be a stroke of genius and perfect timing.

"As for Andy Murray? Frankly I can't see him doing very much so soon after getting back on the competitive court after his back surgery.

"Rafa Nadal proved me wrong last year but I have always held the view that for however long a player is sidelined - and in Murray's case it was around three months - it takes the same amount of time to get everything back together."

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Trouble awaits Stosur's Open run

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SAMANTHA Stosur embarks on tennis's version of Mission Impossible today when the big local hope launches her Australian Open campaign at Melbourne Park.

As if opening up against an opponent who whipped her three days earlier isn't unnerving enough, the tennis gods have thrust Stosur into a landmine section of the draw headed by world No.1 Serena Williams.

Already psychologically battered from years of flops at her home grand slam, Stosur will now likely need to beat the winners of all three major lead-up events just to make the quarter-finals.

That's if she can first get past Klara Zakopalova today.

The veteran Czech upended the Australian No.1 in straight sets in the Hobart International semi-finals last week.

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Stosur hopes her home crowd can play a positive part in starting her Australian Open. "I know sometimes that can really lift you and maybe help you get through some of those tough moments during a match,'' said Stosur, who is desperate to improve on her previous best Australian Open result - reaching the fourth round in 2006 and 2010.

If Stosur survives today, she is then projected to meet Sydney International champion Tsvetana Pironkova in the second round, Auckland Classic winner Ana Ivanovic in the third round and Williams, who reigned at the Brisbane International, in the last 16 - should they all progress.

The 17th seed could not possibly have been handed a more devilish draw.

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Little wonder Stosur isn't looking beyond Zakopalova and "trying to rectify any problems" she had in Friday's 6-3 6-2 loss to the world No.37.

It will be the third time they have met in the first round of the Australian Open, with Stosur winning both encounters, in 2007 and 2009.

"I probably would like to return a little bit better," Stosur said. "Cut down those errors, obviously, but still play the way I want to play. I know how I want to play and be aggressive and try to hit winners."

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Stosur isn't the only Australian with a treacherous draw.

Teenage wildcard Ashleigh Barty has the biggest ask of the lot, up against top seed Williams at Rod Laver Arena tonight.

"Look, playing Serena is always a tough prospect," Stosur said. "I think Ash has to go out there, soak it all up, really enjoy the moment. Obviously she's not expected to win.

"But go out there and have as much fun as you can."

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Becker to give Novak edge: Wilander

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IN full flight, unrestrained physically and emotionally, Boris Becker was a formidable presence. Not that Mats Wilander ever thought too much about it during the celebrated pair's 10-match rivalry.

Polar opposites in personality and style, Becker and Wilander were the sport's yin and yang.

Wilander had Becker's respect but it was a vastly different story for the infantrymen unfortunate enough to cross Becker's path during his six-major career.

In shedding light on how Australian Open defending champion Novak Djokovic is likely to benefit most from Becker's appointment as coach, Wilander offered examples of the German's supreme winning attitude.

"Becker can help Djokovic with the mental part," Wilander said.

"I think mentally Djokovic's is not as strong and not as stubborn as (Rafael) Nadal.

"He showed that at Wimbledon against (Andy) Murray, he showed that in the US Open against Nadal and he's shown that against Murray the year before in the US Open final.

"Of course, we're talking about perfection but, for him to be perfect, he has to be mentally better.

"If he plays a bad point, he has to be straight back for the next point - and not just for himself, but in the other player's eyes. That's where Becker was so excellent.

Declaring he has nothing to offer the top players in the quest for perfection, Wilander is intrigued by Becker's move into coaching.

It follows Murray's successful liaison with another former world No.1 and grand slam winner Ivan Lendl and Roger Federer's move to lure Stefan Edberg back onto the circuit.

Wilander says the elite players needs only minor technical and tactical tinkering.

Which is what Becker's collaboration with Djokovic is all the more significant.

"Becker had no limits," Wilander said.

"For him, it wasn't 'I have to play well today and hope to win.' For him it was 'OK, this is who I'm playing, this is the final and this is what I have to do.' And that was that.

"He just believed he could raise his level all the time. He believed he could win the French (Open) from the baseline which, as it turns out, was the wrong way to go about it.

"But that's him being stubborn and I think Djokovic could sometimes use a little more stubbornness and Becker is perfect for that."

Becker's on-court persona was so strident many opponents were beaten before they walked on court - and the Kaiser of the Court did everything to ensure his aura never waned in battle.

Wilander says fellow Swede Edberg can improve Federer - technically.

"Edberg can help Federer with his volley skills and how you move at the net and, on the few times he comes to the net, how to be a little more confident," he said.

"The net's really the only place Federer can go to have a chance against the best in the world because from the baseline only, it's not going to be possible.

"When he comes to the net, he's got to be better at it."

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