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24

2020 Lennon Defends Djokovic Wins Western & Southern
Open In New York
2nd, Striker Selection As

September

| Celtic Grind Down
EXAMINER Motherwell

IRISH Novak Djokovic put his off-court distractions to one side

to win a record-equaling 35th Masters title with victory over
Milos Raonic at the Western & Southern Open.
The world number one is the leading figure in the pro-
posed formation of the Professional Tennis Players
Association (PTPA) – a breakaway men’s player union to
rival the ATP Player Council – and there is set to be a vote
this weekend on whether it moves forward.
And Djokovic, who has also suffered with neck and stom-
ach injuries during the week, looked like he would allow
things to get the better of him as Raonic steamed through the
first set, but the Serbian came back to win 1-6 6-3 6-4 in New
York.
The victory stretched his unbeaten run in 2020 to 23
matches and he will be the man to beat when he returns to
court in 48 hours to begin his US Open campaign.
eil Lennon stressed “Patryk did 45, he did well, penalty suspended until 28 Given the fact that it took a Herculean effort to get
circumstances have but he was really blowing February, after travelling to through Friday’s semi-final against Roberto Bautista Agut,
Ndictated team selec- towards the end and Albian Spain and not isolating before where Djokovic suffered from an upset stomach, plus the off-
tion following Celtic’s 3-0 needs conditioning work but playing at Kilmarnock court issues, it looked like it might be Raonic’s afternoon.
win over Motherwell at you can see how good he is. Lennon said: “There will be The Canadian, on the way back after injury problems saw
Parkhead. “The likes of Edouard and a disciplinary sanction from his ranking plummet, took the opening set 6-1 in just 31 min-
The Hoops were knocked Griffiths aren’t here either, the club as well. utes.
out of the Champions League they are injured. Tom Rogic is “We will take stock of But Djokovic came to life in the second set and a vital
qualifiers by Ferencvaros on injured, Mikey Johnston is things over the next week or break of Raonic’s monster serve in the sixth game allowed
Wednesday night when, to injured. so and take a decision on what him to level up.
wide criticism, he started “It was the best team we we do.” There is a reason why Djokovic has now won all 11
without a natural center-for- felt could have picked and Asked if Bolingoli’s career matches against the Canadian and he completely negated
ward while two of them sat on today to start the game, we at Celtic was over, he said: “I Raonic’s delivery, claiming successive breaks to grab the
the bench. felt it was the right way to go. wouldn’t be so definite but it decisive final set. C
Patryk Klimala and Albian “Listen, I make decisions might be something we think
Ajeti were again among the and you live and die off them about, that’s for sure. Murray Braced For ‘Weird’ Experience
substitutes with Ryan Christie for what you think is for the “We are going to think Of US Open Without Crowds
leading the line for the visit of benefit of the club. It’s not about it very, very intensely Andy Murray is bracing himself for the “weird” experi-
the Steelmen and they had to some sort of ego trip. I have and make a decision in the ence of playing at the US Open without any fans.
toil until James Forrest drove always put the players first next week or so.” The first grand slam since the coronavirus pandemic
in the opener five minutes and the club first. Motherwell remain bottom struck gets under way in New York on Monday and is being
before the interval. “I expected criticism after of the table on two points played behind closed doors.
Polish striker Klimala start- the game and the volume of without a win in six matches Murray, playing his first major since January 2019, takes
ed the second half and criticism is sometimes out of but manager Stephen on Japanese Yoshihito Nishioka on Arthur Ashe on Tuesday.
Switzerland international sync and balance. But you Robinson is confident that It is a court where some of his best moments have
Ajeti came off the bench to learn to live with that and we better times are on the other occurred, memorably winning the 2012 title, and the Scot is
score the second, with defend- had a good response today side of the international break. preparing himself for it to be very different.
er Christopher Jullien adding from the players. He said: “I am not dismiss- “I think mentally it’s going to be difficult for the players,”
a third in stoppage time. “No one is more sore about ing it as a start I’m happy he said of playing behind closed doors. “It is difficult, but the
Lennon, who has star strik- going out of the Champions with. level of tennis is what’s important.
er Odsonne Edouard and League than myself. It’s on “I have been happier with “If you can sort of block all of the weirdness of playing
Leigh Griffiths injured, insists my CV now, that result, but I performances on the whole without a crowd, like, on big stadiums and stuff. I actually
he is doing what is best for the have to park that and move than people might think. felt OK doing that last week. It didn’t feel too bad in the
club. forward.” “But I am judged on getting matches.
He said: “I thought that, in The Hoops boss revealed results and winning matches “It will be tricky. I play my first match on Arthur Ashe. I
isolation, we dominated Boli Bolingoli will face further and at this moment in time we played some of the best atmospheres that I’ve ever played in
Ferencvaros and should have sanctions from the club after are not doing that. tennis on that court.
won – we didn’t. breaching coronavirus proto- “I don’t think we will get “To go out there on such a huge stadium and have literal-
“And then it’s all down to col. judged on today’s game but ly no one in the stands is going to be weird. I know that’s
the fact we didn’t play a cen- The defender was given a after the international break going to be the case, so at least I can prepare for it mentally.
ter-forward, but none of them three-game ban by the we have games I think we can “It’s different, but I’m just looking forward to getting to
are fit enough to start and you Scottish Football Association, win and start getting a little compete in a slam again.” C
can see that today. with a further two-match run together.” C