Vision problem irritates Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic will consult eye specialists to prevent a recurrence of the vision problem that could affect his Australian Open hopes. Source: Herald Sun

Djokovic said he could barely see out of his right eye after after stretching world No. 1 Rafael Nadal at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London.

The Serb used three different types of contact lenses in the match to try to settle the problem.

Tied with Nadal at 5-5 in the first set, Djokovic was taken apart in the latter stages to lose 7-5 6-2.

"I really feel sick talking about it, to be honest, because it's just incredible that this happened to me," Djokovic said.
"I mean, it never happened to me in my life.

"I'm just really annoyed by the fact that something like this can really affect the match.

"It did because my right eye got irritated, and from the 5-all I could not play. I could not see a ball, especially the return. It was just terrible.

"In the past sometimes I have a situation where I have little problems with the lens and the eye, but I fix it in 10 seconds.

"I move the lens and I know that everything is right.

"But this was unbelievable. It didn't go away. I still don't see well in the right eye.

"I will try to see a doctor and see if there is something more serious going on and in two days hopefully I can be ready."

World No. 1 Nadal, who is bidding to add the season-ending championship his Wimbledon, French and US Open titles this year, sympathised with Djokovic.

"Well, yeah, for sure I'm very sorry for him, what happened after the 11 first games," Nadal said.

"After, he didn't see the ball very well.

"But for me it was a very important victory because my level was high another time, playing very well in the first set, especially."

Earlier, Czech Tomas Berdych beat a sloppy Andy Roddick 7-5, 6-3 after the American looked in control in the first set.

Roddick was furious at his failure to convert two set points, at 4-5 on Berdych's serve in the opening stanza.

"I've beaten him (Berdych) three times this year," Roddick said.

"I have a pretty good idea what to do. Now, if you don't execute it, it makes most game plans look stupid.

"I don't think he came into the match with a lot of confidence. Being able to get through that (crisis) definitely raised his confidence level."

The defeat was Roddick's second in two matches and he must now beat Djokovic to have any chance of progressing to Sunday's semi-finals.