#TBT, 2006: 18-year-old Novak Djokovic shines in Davis Cup tie in Israel
Before this week’s ATP event in Tel Aviv, the 21-time Grand Slam champion’s only tour-level appearance in Israel was in a Davis Cup tie in 2006—and he didn’t drop a set.
Novak Djokovic has achieved just about everything there is to achieve in tennis, but he’s pulling off another first this week—he’s playing an ATP event in Israel for the first time in his career at the Tel Aviv Watergen Open, an ATP 250 event.
It’s not his first time playing tour-level matches in Israel, though.
From February 10th to 12th, 2006—sixteen and a half years ago, when he was only 18—Djokovic traveled to Ramat HaSharon for a Davis Cup Europe/Africa Zone first-round tie against home team Israel. It was held on the hard courts of the Canada Stadium.
“One of the best and loudest atmospheres I ever experienced,” Djokovic recalled during his pre-tournament press conference in Tel Aviv this week. “Very passionate people for sports here. It’s great to see that, because I like that kind of passion and love that comes in from the people towards sports.”
And Djokovic rose to the occasion that weekend.
After Janko Tipsarevic won the first rubber against Dudi Sela, 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-0, 6-4, Djokovic defeated Noam Okun, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (6), 6-2, to put Serbia ahead 2-0.
Israel then got on the board with a victory in the doubles rubber, as Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram downed Tipsarevic and Ilija Bozoljac, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.
But Djokovic sealed the deal in the first reverse singles rubber, storming out to a 6-1, 6-2, 5-2 lead against Sela, and—after Sela battled back to push the third set to a tie-break—cruising to the finish line for a 6-1, 6-2, 7-6 (3) victory.
They played the final rubber anyway, abbreviating it to best-of-three sets, with Tipsarevic edging Okun in a tight two-setter, 7-6 (10), 6-4.
“It’s one thing to know you can do it and another thing to do it,” Serbian captain Dejan Petrovic told reporters afterwards. “The future for Serbian tennis is bright.”
Little did he know just how bright.
At the time of that Davis Cup tie, Djokovic was No. 70 on the ATP rankings—it was so long ago that he had never even been to an ATP final yet, let alone win an ATP title.
Today, the 35-year-old Djokovic has 88 career ATP titles, including 21 Grand Slam titles. He’ll go for the 89th ATP title of his career in Israel this week.
“I haven’t been here for many years,” he told media this week. “Last time I was here, I had a fantastic experience. I was very welcomed by people. I have collaborated also with people from Israel, my fitness coach and manager for many years.
“All [these] factors have decided for me to come here.”