Story highlights
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic and younger brother Marko in action at the Dubai Open
Novak wins in straight sets in first match since his Australian Open win in January
Djokovic watches brother Marko lose in first round clash before his own match
World No. 8 Mardy Fish into second round with a 6-1 6-1 victory over Andreas Beck
They share the same surname – Djokovic – but for now at least, that is where the similarity ends.
Novak is at the pinnacle of his sport and was the center of attention in Dubai after completing in his first victory since winning the Australian Open in January.
At 20, Marko is four years younger, and 868 places further down the rankings – and on Monday he slumped to an opening-round defeat in front of his elder sibling.
Djokovic senior was on hand to watch his brother’s elimination, at the hands of Russian qualifier Andrey Golubev, but says that Marko can make his mark in the upper echelons of the game.
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“He has to face the pressure of having the Djokovic surname,” Novak said in quotes carried by AFP.
“He’s trying to fight with his mind more than with his game. When he is able to focus on that and not on his doubts he can become a world-class player.”
He admitted it was tough to watch Marko’s 6-3 6-2 reverse. “It was difficult for me to sit courtside,” he said. “I have not done it too much.
“At least when I’m playing I know what’s going on. But I was happy my brother got a wild card. He is not at his level yet, but he’s getting there.”
As for Marko, he said there were plenty of positives and negatives to being the brother of the world’s No. 1 player.
“Financially, you know, I have all I need and can get the coaches and the right practice environment. But everybody expects you to be like your brother, which is really tough to achieve.
“Sometimes I have an advantage because maybe opponents get scared. But others think, ‘He’s Novak’s brother, so I must beat him.’ And that can be tough.”
Novak had no such trouble in negotiating his opening round test, defeating German Cedrik-Marcel Stebe 6-4 6-2 in his first outing since securing his fifth grand slam crown in Melbourne.
He has won four straight titles in Dubai and will face either Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky or Omar Awadhy, from the United Arab Emirates, in round two.
Elsewhere, world No. 8 Mardy Fish made light work of Andreas Beck, beating his German opponent 6-1 6-1. Fish will play Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny or Frenchman Richard Gasquet next.