Four-time Major winning Rory McIlroy can’t beat Novak Jokovich at his own game but he can share Olympic gold medal victory honours with the Serbian tennis ace later this year in Rio de Janiero.
This would be McIlroy’s Brazil dream when golf returns to the Summer Olympics in August later this year.
McIlroy had been in awe last week firstly watching TV coverage Jokovich’s clinical four sets Australian Open semi-final defeat of Roger Federer and then gleaned further inspiration from the World No. 1’s three-set demolition of Andy Murray to win an 11th Grand Slam title.
It was the 28-year old Djokovic’s sixth Australian Open title, his fifth in the past six years, and an 11th Grand Slam crown.
McIlroy still has some catching-up to do having won four Majors and looking to complete a golfing ‘Grand Slam’ in April’s Masters at Augusta National.
Proud Serbian Novak Jokovich wins gold at the 2012 London Olympics.
McIlroy said had had been introduced to Jokovich when dating former fiancée Caroline Wozniacki.
“I know Novak well and living in Monaco as he does, I got to know him when I found myself also spending a bit of time there,” said McIlroy.
“But then his performance in the Australian Open was unreal, unreal.
“For the first two sets in the semi against Federer, I’ve never seen tennis like it and it was just incredible.
“Novak is just on another level at the moment and from where he was when he won his first ‘Slam’ in 2008 to where he is now, is just amazing.
“So I find watching the tennis he played in Australia very inspirational given the dedication he’s shown to him game along with his work ethic.
“And it would be nice in going to Rio for the Olympic Games to hopefully come away what he more than likely should earn, and that’s a gold medal.”
Rory McIlroy shaking hands with Novak Jokovich and with McIlroy’s former partner Caroline Wozniacki looking on.
McIlroy spent Tuesday on the Emirates Club practice range and putting green but without taking to the course ahead of Thursday’s defence of his Dubai Desert Classic title.
He spent last week at the nearby Els Club working on his game following a third place finish in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship before posting a 71 last Sunday to finish T4th in the Abu Dhabi Invitational.
“The time I spent this past week at the Els Club was good but then I also took a few days off to chill a little bit, as the weather wasn’t great but overall my game feels good,” he said.
“But after contesting the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship I did need to work on certain aspects of my game and I’ve managed to get them sorted out.
“I was just up at the Els Club on my own hitting balls, spending a couple hours a day.”
McIlroy will tee-up Thursday with very fond memories of the Emirates Course having first contested the event in 2006 as an amateur and then, after completing his first round, being handed a long-lens camera by one of the accredited photographers to walk inside the ropes following then World No.1 Tiger Woods who competed in the afternoon.
Rory McIlroy working on his putting today at the Emirates Golf Club. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
McIlroy captured a maiden pro career title winning the 2009 Dubai Desert Classic and sealed success again a year ago.
“I have so many fond memories as I basically commenced my career here, I got my first pro victory here and now I’m back this year as the defending champion, so a lot of good stuff has happened to me here,” he said.
“The good also is I have won out at Jumeirah Resort twice before in the DP World and it would nice this week to win back-to-back out here in D
