Novak Djokovic: Sometimes I feel like cats have nine lives and lose one at every major tournament

Novak Djokovic spoke with Eurosport presenter Alize Lim.

Novak Djokovic He was followed by a very impressive season, in which he reached the finals of all four Grand Slam tournaments, three of which he won. Having achieved more than his goals set before the season, he can even sit out, but in his case there is no doubt about such a thing that, after a well-deserved rest, he prepares for the Paris 1000, then the World Championship and the Davis Cup.

The Serbian tennis player told Eurosport what filled his days in the past month and a half, how he still manages to motivate himself and how he copes with the changes in his life. Djokovic also spoke about how much effort the Grand Slam tournaments require of him – spoiler alert: according to him, his task is not as easy as it looks from the outside.

Alizee Lim: We haven’t seen each other on court since the Davis Cup, which was a month and a half ago. What have you been doing since then? We know you are a family man, so I guess you were with them and resting.

Novak Djokovic: Yes, it happened. It was a wonderful month and a half that I was able to spend with my children, wife, siblings, parents and friends. I appreciate it when I’m with them, as with the racing calendar, I’ve rarely had the opportunity in the last 15-20 years due to the intensity of the racing and travel. So I try to make the most of every day or week I spend with them.

I played a little bit of Ryder Cup golf, which was unbelievable. Of course, I had a competitive spirit, but I had a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed this opportunity. I felt great, it was a great experience. I want to thank the tournament and Luke Donald, the captain of the European team, who organized it all. I’m very happy with the European victory, but I was also happy to see the professional golfers up close. It was my first time attending a golf tournament. The atmosphere was great.

I also followed other sports. I watched the Euroleague games of the local basketball team in Belgrade. I also love soccer and basketball, and I try to watch other sports and be active.

They might have just played Lyon when I was there.

Yes, that was the opening game of the EuroLeague, with nearly 20,000 fans in the stands. Red Star is my favorite team, and it was great to watch it up close. You instantly experience every sporting event differently than you do when you watch it on TV.

We are here in Bercy. It seems that you remain as motivated in these tournaments as in the Grand Slams, and Goran also mentioned that he has methods to keep you motivated. Are there any tricks to motivate a man like you? Are you human at all?

I can assure you that I am as fallible as anyone else, I have been lucky enough to have a very successful tennis career behind me. But you are basically right. At this point in my career, I need extra motivation more than I did five or ten years ago. Things have changed.

My life is changing, and I’m moving forward. I have two children, one is nine years old and the other is six years old. It breaks my heart every time I leave them at home. I also have to deal with this when I travel somewhere. That’s why if I decide to play somewhere, I really want to win. I want to get to the end to make it all worth it.

Goran and other team members try to motivate me in different ways. They haven’t succeeded, but they’re trying… Of course, I’m just kidding. We have a lot of fun and are great friends. Our relationship is mainly professional, but I also like Goran very much as a person. He was one of the players I looked up to as a kid. We grew up in neighboring countries and speak the same language, so it’s easier to be on the road.

It is also natural for him to give his best on the field.

It’s very normal. Our problem is that Serbian tennis players have had great success over the last 30 years, so we are in the unfortunate position that most referees and supervisors actually understand what it means to take an oath.

So we have to do a little trickery. Suppose we use slang or invent new expressions. But there are also times when a person stumbles and cannot think of new words, he just says what comes to his mind. But Goran fully understands this, he was not the calmest player on the field either. That’s why we get along so well.

Are you still under the influence of the number 24, or do you already know what color your jacket is number 25?

I have no idea. I do not know what you mean.

They advised me not to say anything. no. See, these are actually pretty problems. If the 25 members meet in January, it will be incredible, no matter what happens. I’m really happy that fans have responded so positively to the 23rd and 24th sweaters. A lot of people wanted to buy them, and hopefully Lacoste will produce enough of them.

But we’ll see, I’m happy with the 24 too. A lot of people – especially in my country – say let’s go to day 25, then day 30. It would be great if it were that easy.

You win as it is, you can’t blame them.

I don’t know what it’s like, but I know what it feels like. You have to earn it though. Sometimes I feel like a cat, I have nine lives and I lose one in every major tournament. It takes a lot of energy to be on the field. It is necessary not only physically, but also emotionally and mentally to give yourself fully to the race.

Nowadays, this is even more true, as at 36 years old she lives for a few moments. More intensity and more energy are needed to get the best possible result. That’s why I need more rest after the Grand Slam, I simply need to recharge my batteries.