Djokovics aim to be the best | Tennis news

Few players know how to turn adversity into strength like Novak Djokovic.

As the crowd cheered Roger Federer at Wimbledon 2019, the Serbian convinced himself that they were cheering for him. At the Australian Open 2021, Djokovic tore a muscle in his stomach during his third-round match with Taylor Fritz, but still won the title. While he was praised for his anti-vaccine stance in 2022, he still managed to compile a 41-6 record and also win a Grand Slam.

Also read | Djokovic is suffering from a massive injury before the first match of Australian Open 2023

Playing second fiddle to fan favorites Federer and Rafael Nadal has allowed the 35-year-old to develop a mental attitude that simply won’t allow him to accept defeat.

He didn’t think about losing in the first Grand Slam of the year. The Australian Open is his tournament just like Wimbledon was for Federer or the French Open for Nadal. Nine titles, this is a tournament (and a country) he has dominated.

I always like my chances, he said when asked how he felt before the Australian Open in a moment of not-so-characteristic modesty.

The Serbian will be aiming for a 10th Australian Open title in Melbourne, and if the title is won, it will bring him level with Nadal for 22 Grand Slam titles. This is exactly the kind of challenge that continues to weigh on him.

That’s why I still play professional tennis, competitive tennis, because I want to be the best, I want to win the biggest tournaments in the world, he said.

You have four Slams, which historically have been the biggest events in our sport. It was also one of the biggest reasons I was really looking forward to coming back to Australia; here because of my record. I really enjoy playing at Rod Laver Arena, especially the night sessions. I have had a lot of success which hopefully can continue this year.

This year because last year he was deported just after arriving in Australia because he wasn’t vaccinated. The controversy and the bill would have taken a heavy toll on most people, but Djokovic used the enforced time off to spend more time training.

As a tennis player at the highest level, I don’t have much time to train longer, Djokovic told reporters. We have a very long season… you have a few weeks here and there.

Not playing for several months at the beginning of last year gave me a chance to really bond with my team and work on my body, my strokes, which has helped me get great results later.

And that makes him a terrifying proposition. A well-rested and fit Djokovic is notoriously difficult to beat in five-setters. He suffered heartburn early in the Australian Open, but he’s been there before and still found ways to win.

“I’ve been struggling with it a little bit, to be honest, the last seven days,” he said of the injury.

But hopefully that’s not a big concern. So far I have been able to practice, compete and play points, practice sets. So that’s a positive sign.

Apparently I’m a little more careful. I don’t go into full training, saving energy. I hope it won’t cause me any problems then.

In the first round, the fourth seed will face the Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena, and Nick Kyrgios is in the same quarter with him. But the Australian could play ninth-seeded Holger Rune in the third round and fifth-seeded Andrey Rublev in the fourth round before the quarter-final clash.

Now there are a lot of young people who are very hungry and want to win, Djokovic said. They want to scalp you in a big stadium. I know it.

But the experience of being in such special circumstances helps, I think, to have the right approach and do things the right way.

Because I know when I’m healthy and playing my best, on this field (Rod Laver Arena) I have a chance against really anybody.

The real question, though, is whether anyone really stands a chance against him.