It is the first round match-up of the Australian Open that brings one word to everyone’s minds: popcorn.
Six-time champion Novak Djokovic will begin his title defence against the player he battled to save five match points against just last week in Doha. Fernando Verdasco pushed the World No. 2 to the limit in their semi-final at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open, but the Serbian dug his heels in to win the match. The next day, he claimed the title with a win over World No. 1 Andy Murray, avenging his loss at the ATP Finals last November in London.
Second-seeded Djokovic was handed a tricky opener against the veteran Spaniard, and he knows it.
“I just see it as a huge challenge. I hope I'll be able to deliver,” he said in his pre-tournament press conference in Melbourne on Saturday. “Fernando is a very complete player on any surface. [Any] given day, if things go right, he can beat really anybody on any surface.
“He's not overwhelmed by the occasion of playing on centre court,” Djokovic said of Verdasco, who last year at Melbourne Park stunned then-fifth seed Rafael Nadal in a four-hour, 41-minute marathon. “It’s the first match of the Grand Slam. We both need to start with the right intensity… But I'm expecting a tough one, there's no doubt about it.”
[ALSO LIKE]
It may be seen as a tougher start than most, but Djokovic is motivated for a seventh title in Melbourne, which would greatly help his quest to regain the World No. 1 spot. Should he defend his title, Murray must reach at least the semi-finals in order to remain No. 1 after the Australian Open.
“I love playing this sport. I love competing… I really would like to take one tournament at a time and try to win as many matches as possible," said Djokovic. "Then, as a consequence to that, if I become No. 1, I'll be thrilled.”
The 29-year-old Serbian goes into his opening clash against Verdasco with a 9-4 lead in their FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry. Should he advance, Djokovic could play No. 15 seed and recent Brisbane champion Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth round, followed by eighth seed Dominic Thiem in the quarter-finals. He lies in the same half as third seed Milos Raonic, sixth seed Gael Monfils and ninth seed Nadal.