By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, March 3, 2016
Novak Djokovic opens Serbia's World Group tie against Kazakhstan's No. 2 Aleksandr Nedovyesov.
Photo credit: ITF/Davis Cup
Now that Novak Djokovic's vision is restored he's hoping his hearing will be rattled.
The world No. 1 pronounced himself fit after an eye infection caused by a contact lens forced him to retire from his Dubai quarterfinal against Feliciano Lopez last week, snapping Djokovic's streak of 17 straight finals.
More: Davis Cup World Group Preview
Djokovic makes his Davis Cup return tomorrow facing Kazakhstan’s No. 2 Aleksandr Nedovyesov in the opening singles match of the World Group tie in Belgrade.
Serbian No. 2 Viktor Troicki will play Mikhail Kukushkin in tomorrow's second singles match.
Wearing glasses to meet the media, Djokovic, who wears contact lenses on court, is setting his sights on success tomorrow.
"I am fit to play. I'm glad to say that because honestly I was a bit skeptical the first few days when I arrived from Dubai," Djokovic told DavisCup.com. "I had to battle an eye infection that occurred for the first time in my life.
"I did everything I could do, rest and get all the necessary treatments that were advised by specialists. And I got myself in a position to actually play. Yesterday, the training went well. Hopefully, I'll be able to play my best on Friday."
The 11-time Grand Slam champion is also hoping to hear raucous crowd support from the Belgrade faithful in the first Davis Cup tie staged in basketball venue Pionir Hall since 1989.
"The venue is really impressive. It's the loudest arena we have in Serbia," Djokovic told DavisCup.com. "I'm sure the atmosphere will be magnificent."
It is Djokovic's first Davis Cup appearance since he won the opening singles and partnered Nenad Zimonjic in a winning doubles effort sparking Serbia to 5-0 sweep of Croatia last March.
"Actually I always prefer playing first becuase I know exactly the hour when I'm going to perform so I can get myself ready for it," Djokovic said of his opener. "He has nothing to lose so these kind of matches against players you never encountered before are very tricky. I need to start off well and not allow him to swing freely... I'm going to try to impose my own game."
Zimonjic and Djokovic are scheduled to square off against Andrey Golubev and Aleksandr Nedovyesov in Saturday's doubles match.
The winner of this tie will meet the winner of defending champion Great Britain vs. Japan tie, which is being staged in Birmingham. If the favorites advance it could reunite the top-ranked Serbian and second-ranked Andy Murray in a rematch of the Australian Open final.
Of course, Djokovic isn't looking that far ahead. He's just glad he's seeing clearly now.