Djokovic focuses on winning form, not top spot

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

INDIAN WELLS, California (Reuters) - Steadily growing in self-belief, Serb Novak Djokovic has made a dream start to the year but refuses to accept he is the game's top player on current form.

The world number three won his first grand slam crown at the Australian Open in January before clinching his eighth ATP career title at the Pacific Life Open on Sunday.

Djokovic beat defending champion and world number two Rafael Nadal 7-6 6-2 in the last four on the hardcourt surface at Indian Wells before holding off unseeded American Mardy Fish 6-2 5-7 6-3 in the final.

"This is a big run," the 20-year-old Serb told reporters of landing the two biggest tournaments of the season.

"Obviously, I'm getting all things together and I started believing in myself much more than I used to last year.

"When you start winning the major events, you have proved to yourself in the first place and to everybody else that you have quality to be there at the top. It's just a matter of mental ability and mental strength.

"I have worked on that throughout these last two years and I think I gained that with experience," added the Serb, who will close the gap on Spaniard Nadal when the world rankings are issued on Monday.

"But on the other hand, I know that to be here and to make such great achievements, you need to work hard and that's what I'm doing. I hope I can keep the momentum going."