Djokovic leads Serbia into Davis Cup semis vs. Britain

MALAGA, Spain — Novak Djokovic, who clinched three Grand Slam victories this year, is set to lead Serbia against Britain in the Davis Cup Finals’ last quarterfinal match on Thursday.

“As we approach the final week of the season, it’s crucial for each of us to make that one final push. I’m thrilled because I’ve been playing exceptional tennis, especially over the past four months,” said Djokovic, who recently secured his record-breaking seventh ATP Finals title in Turin on Sunday.

Following his triumph, Djokovic swiftly flew to Malaga to begin his preparations for the Davis Cup.

“I didn’t waste any time getting back into training, as there’s not much time to rest the racket,” he added. “The Davis Cup has always been a major goal for me this season and beyond. Hopefully, I can make a valuable contribution to our victory.”

Djokovic has an impressive 20-match winning streak in Davis Cup singles matches, dating back to a loss to Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro in a 2011 semifinal match where he had to retire due to injury.

His last completed singles match loss in the Davis Cup was in 2009. He is currently tied with Nenad Zimonjic for the most Davis Cup match wins by a Serbian player.

Notably, Djokovic played a pivotal role in Serbia’s first Davis Cup title in 2010.

On the other hand, Britain, vying for their 11th Davis Cup title, will face Serbia without Andy Murray and Dan Evans, both sidelined due to injuries.

The British team, eyeing a semifinal berth for the first time in four years, will be led by No. 18 Cameron Norrie and No. 60 Jack Draper. The doubles match will feature Neal Skupski and Joe Salisbury.

“Great Britain stands as one of the premier tennis nations, fielding a formidable team in this format,” Djokovic noted. “While we don’t have dedicated doubles specialists, we rely heavily on our singles players. Nevertheless, we are fully prepared to give it our all in any combination, including doubles.”