Djokovic Pulls Serbia Level

BELGRADE, SERBIA: World No. 1 Novak Djokovic prevailed in an absorbing five-hour match against Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Kukushkin to bring Serbia level at 2-2 and take the slugfest down the wire, with Serbia’s home crowd favourite Viktor Troicki playing Aleksandr Nedovyesov in the decisive fifth rubber.
Trailing by two sets to one, Djokovic dug deep into his resources to sink his inspired opponent, who produced one of the best performances of his career but fell just short in a frantic match.
With fans exhausted almost as much as the players, Djokovic – who could barely stand on his feet – grabbed the microphone at the end of his showdown with Kukushkin and pleaded with the home supporters to fight their fatigue and stay to support Troicki.
“You made the difference and gave me the energy to come out on top and I have to thank you for that,” Djokovic said courtside.
“I know you’ve lost your voices after five hours of cheering, you must be tired, but please stay because Viktor is playing now and needs your support to win,” he added.
Devoid of pressure against his more heralded opponent, Kukushkin was razor-sharp in the opening three sets and tormented Djokovic with a variety of breathtaking shots, varying from stinging baseline winners to delightful lobs and volleys.
Djokovic, in contrast, struggled with his first serve and committed a barrage of unforced errors, looking weary after playing in Friday’s opening singles and Saturday’s doubles.
Just when the match seemed to be slipping away from him, Serbia’s prodigal son found the extra bit of energy he so badly needed to move up a gear and keep his team’s challenge alive.
Looking every bit in Djokovic’s class up to that point, Kukushkin suddenly found himself on the back foot as the world’s top-ranked player looked more like the winner of 11 Grand Slam tournaments.
Pounding his opponent with service winners and scorching forehands, Djokovic turned the contest on its head and sealed it in 4 hours and 57 minutes, drawing a standing ovation from the home fans.

Source: DavisCup.com