Daily Bagel: Borna Coric clarifies comments about Djokovic, Murray

The Daily Bagel is your dose of the interesting reporting, writing and quipping from around the Internet. • According to AFP, Rafael Nadal said he "hopes" to be

The Daily Bagel is your dose of the interesting reporting, writing and quipping from around the Internet.

• According to AFP, Rafael Nadal said he "hopes" to be able to play the Australian Open. 

• The Heineken Open and Sydney International are making a strong play to convince Nadal to take a wildcard but it sounds like he's heading straight for Melbourne.

[tweet=https://twitter.com/RafaelNadal/status/552782331329912832] 

• Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has withdrawn from the Australian Open with a forearm injury. 

• Bernard Tomic posted a good win over Thanasi Kokkinakis at the Brisbane International. Lots to like about Kokkinakis' game though. 

• Good to hear Juan Martin del Potro will begin his season next week at the Sydney International.

[tweet=https://twitter.com/delpotrojuan/status/552773495202271232]

• Victoria Azarenka tells Tennis.com 2014 was a lost season for her. 

• The ITF has implemented rule changes that could impact a number of players hoping to switch nationalities, including Kevin Anderson, Ajla Tomljanovic, and Aljaz Bedene. Under the new rule, a player can only represent one country during his or her professional career. Here's how it could impact Anderson and Bedene. 

• 18-year-old Borna Coric told the Times of India that he considers himself "the best of my generation", but the best quote from the interview was this: "When I'm at my best I am more like Djokovic game wise, when I'm not, I'm more like Murray." Now he's walking those comments back:

Message from Borna Coric: "Dear fans, I would like to take this opportunity to clarify a statement in an interview I...

Posted by StarWing Sports on Wednesday, January 7, 2015

• Post Li Na, the French Open finds Star in Chinese Artist. 

• A look at 3G Capital, the investment firm that keeps Roger Federer rich. 

• Catching up with CiCi Bellis, who finished 2014 as the No. 1 junior. 

"Once I get to a certain ranking, I'll turn pro," said Bellis, who rang in 2015 as the No. 1 junior and ranked 254th in the world.

That magic number to turn pro is not concrete yet, the family agrees. And although the Northern Californian who follows her high school curriculum online admits Stanford is "my dream school if I did go to college," it's a complicated matter.

"Once upon a time we said if and when it comes around to college, if she is not in the top 200, what's the point [of turning pro and not going to school]?" said CiCi's father, Gordon. "I think we have kind of revised that. I think we have a number ranking, but it might change."

Also possibly hastening the decision, said Gordon, is the trend of so-called "lifetime scholarships," which a handful of schools -- including Miami, Maryland and North Carolina -- offer athletes as a way of returning to college to finish their degrees.

• Rendy Lu looks to Kei Nishikori for inspiration. 

• Andy Murray is still feeling pain in his left shoulder.