Djokovic responds to the reason for moving to Athens; can he break the losing streak against his nightmare opponent in tonight’s debut?

Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic will participate in the inaugural ATP 250 Athens tournament this week, a competition that holds special significance for him as it marks his first home event since relocating to Athens. During the pre-tournament media day, he also shared the reasons behind his move to the city.

When asked about his decision to settle in Greece, Djokovic spoke about the cultural resonance with Athens and considerations related to lifestyle.

“There are many historical, religious, cultural, and social ties between Greece and Serbia, which is one of the main reasons I chose to come here,” Djokovic said in an interview. He particularly emphasized the close bond between the peoples of the two countries: “Greeks and Serbians are like brothers.”

Besides the cultural connections, Djokovic also admitted that the pleasant climate and healthy diet attracted him to choose Greece as his new home. “The weather and food here are excellent, and it boasts some of the most beautiful coastlines in Europe and the world…”

There have been many rumors about Djokovic’s move to Athens, such as “for his children’s schooling,” “political exclusion in Serbia,” or “investment in Athens,” but now that Djokovic has spoken, it seems he simply has a great fondness for Athens and is drawn to it.

Turning to the tournament news, Djokovic, as the top seed at the ATP 250 Athens event, will face Chilean player Tabillo in the second round.

In their two previous encounters, Djokovic was defeated both times by this Chilean player. Therefore, many consider this player to be Djokovic’s “nightmare.” Notably, Tabillo is one of the few players on the tour who holds an undefeated record against Djokovic.

Both matches took place on clay courts. The first was in the third round of the 2024 Rome Masters, and the most recent was in the second round of this year’s Monte Carlo Masters. This presents a significant challenge for Djokovic. The 28-year-old Chilean has become one of only three players who have multiple wins over Djokovic without a loss, alongside predecessors Safin and Vesely.

However, Djokovic’s physical condition has become a focus of media attention. He suffered a heavy defeat at the Shanghai Masters and was forced to retire in the third-place match against Taylor Fritz at the United Cup. Thus, his fitness remains uncertain.

This Athens tournament is not only organized by the Djokovic family but also marks his home debut after announcing his move to Greece. All these factors have made the third encounter between Djokovic and Tabillo highly anticipated.

Tennis fans have taken to social media to predict the match outcome. One commenter wrote, “Will the third time be Djokovic’s lucky number? Playing in front of his home crowd, he surely wants to prove himself.”

Others warn not to underestimate Tabillo: “Winning twice in a row against Djokovic is no coincidence; Tabillo definitely has a strategy to counter Djokovic’s game.”

Regardless of the outcome, this match will write the first tennis chapter in Djokovic’s new Greek journey.

Schedule preview: The men’s singles second round of the 2025 Athens Open, Djokovic vs. Tabillo, will start as the third match on the center court, no earlier than midnight Beijing time on Wednesday, November 5th.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Lu Xiaotian)