Djokovic grounds Monfils in exhibition match
Posted December 29, 2011 11:28 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Novak Djokovic began his preparations for the new season with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 win over Gael Monfils at the World Tennis Championship exhibition event on Thursday.
The No. 1-ranked Djokovic is coming off a 70-6 season in which he won three Grand Slam titles. The 24-year-old Serb ended his best-ever season with two tired losses at the ATP World Tour Finals last month but got back to his winning ways against the No. 16-ranked Monfils.
Djokovic will face Roger Federer in the semifinals on Friday while Rafael Nadal will meet fellow Spaniard David Ferrer.
Ferrer earlier beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2 in the US$250,000 winner-takes-all six-man championship.
The new ATP season begins next week ahead of the Australian Open from Jan. 16-29.
