Novak Djokovic needed a left-handed training partner in the Davis Cup final tournament. Patrik Niklas-Salminen gladly accepted the invitation.
Matti Lehtisaari,
Janne Karinkanta
On Thursday, the Finnish tennis players spent a break in the Davis Cup final tournament in Malaga, but To Patrik Niklas-Salmi the day was still memorable. Niklas-Salminen sparred with the legend of the tennis courts, the 24-time Grand Slam tournament winner Novak Djokovic.
Niklas-Salminen received a welcome invitation when Djokovic needed a left-handed player as his practice opponent. There were three players in the British team for Thursday’s opponent Serbia: Cameron Norrie, Jack Draper and Liam Brody.
– On Wednesday, a request came. Djokovic received a serve (Cameron Norrie) and wanted to get a serve and a return. We didn’t have a match on Thursday, so why not, Niklas-Salminen told Urheilu.
– It was a unique experience, I will definitely remember this always. My focus remained good, maybe it’s not necessarily the same focus at nine in the morning in Tali (Helsinki), Niklas-Salminen tasted.
Who is number one of all time, Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer?
– Bad to say. I’ve always been a fan of Roger (Federer), but Novak (Djokovic) has shown everyone that he’s the best in the world, at least at the moment. It’s great to see him still here, Niklas-Salminen beamed.
Doubles specialist Niklas-Salminen did not get on the field in the quarter-final between Finland and Canada on Tuesday.
– Captain (Jarkko Nieminen) selects the best for the field. The most important thing is that Finland is doing well, Niklas-Salminen acknowledged, although he would certainly have liked to play himself.
Finland and Australia tennis Davis Cup semi-final match on Friday at 17:00 on TV2, app and Areena.