Djokovic determined to do well in Grand Slams (Australian Open diary)

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MELBOURNE - Novak Djokovic will relive the final of his 2008 Australian Open title win when he plays Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the quarter-final stage.

Djokovic had beaten Tsonga here in 2008 for his first and only Grand Slam so far. The Serb third seed is determined to make his way higher among the elite. And there’s no better place than his former happy hunting ground of Melbourne.

“I could have done a bit better in the Grand Slams, I agree on that,” said the current one-Slam wonder. “Probably that was one of the reasons that I didn’t get the step further in the rankings. I will prioritise Grand Slams and try to set up the best possible form for these tournaments.”

The 23-year-old with three titles during the closing months of 2009, added: “They are where I want to make the best impact, best result.”

Djokovic will try and shape a 2010 schedule that will aid him in attempting his dream. But finding free time in the 11-month calendar is always a tough ask.

“It’s really hard to shorten the schedule at this moment. We have a lot of commitment events. You got to show up at, you know, 17, 18 tournaments a year, plus Davis Cup. “So the season is not gonna be much shorter than the one in 2009.”

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Stosur slammed by decision to switch to local news

Australian Open broadcaster Channel 7 has been criticised after failing to show home heroine Samantha Stosur’s fourth-round loss against Serena Williams Monday. The channel instead aired the 6 pm news followed by a daily current affairs expose show and then by cult soap opera Home and Away.

They were back on the tennis in time for the evening thrashing that Roger Federer gave to Lleyton Hewitt on the eve of the Australian Day holiday.

The scheduling disaster, which left tennis fans seething, came as the Nikolay Davydenko-Fernando Verdasco match that proceeded the women’s event ran well long during the afternoon.

The Herald Sun newspaper reported that more than 100 distraught fans rang the network to complain.

“While it was a very challenging and difficult decision we’ve got a commitment to our news,” said a station boss.

Tennis Australia declined to criticise the decision of their host broadcaster.