Fourth seed Alexandr Dolgopolov has made an uncharacteristically low-key entrance to the Brisbane International this year, but with an all-court game that rivals the likes of Roger Federer and Andy Murray, the Ukrainian will be anything but low-key on the tennis stage this summer.
The Dog, as he prefers to be called in Australia, is known for throwing every trick in the book at his opponents, – spins, chops, tricky angles and mixed pace coming seemingly effortless off the quick-snapping racquet of the Kiev native, his neatly kept ponytail wagging jubilantly behind him.
His disarming play was on show more than ever at last year’s Brisbane International, dazzling Brisbane fans en route to a final showdown against top seed Andy Murray – a tantalising match let down by Dolgopolov’s hampering right thigh injury.
But, the world No.18 returns to the site of some of his best form in 2012, ready to go one better in the New Year and eager for the chance to challenge Murray again on one of his favourite stages—so long as the body holds up.
“I believe I’m in pretty good form. I’ve had some problems with my body, but I believe I’ll be fine to perform as well as I did last year,” he said.
“The tournament is great and there’s a lot of competition because there’s a lot of good players coming to play here.”
Returning for his fourth consecutive year at the Brisbane International, the 24-year-old has enjoyed his best results Down Under, reaching his best Grand Slam result of a quarterfinal at the 2011 Australian Open following consecutive five-set wins over Jo-Wilfred Tsonga and Robin Soderling.
Finishing in the men’s top 20 for the second consecutive season and with father and former ATP player Oleksandr Dolgopolov Snr along for the ride, Dolgopolov is primed to put on his best show this Australian summer, another good result in Brisbane the perfect start.
“It’s a nice way to start the season. You come to Australia and you get to have a few weeks to get ready for the Open,” he said.
And it hasn’t been all business for the Dog, getting his perfect practice session with Brisbane’s youngest up-and-comers during Suncorp SunWise Kids’ Day on Tuesday, enjoying his chance to give back to one of his favourite tournaments of the year.
“It was fun. It’s nice to do something different from the court, the practice and the matches, so I think it was great.”
Dolgopolov will face the challenge of 19th-ranked Kei Nishikori in the quarterfinals on Friday, Nishikori having won the pair’s only meeting at Shanghai in 2011.
Tickets are still available for today’s session via Ticketek.