Novak Djokovic reveals he must learn from past disappointments to win Olympics

07/25/2024 01:00 PM

"I won a bronze medal a long time ago, at the Beijing 2008 Olympics. I had the great honor of carrying the Serbian flag at the opening ceremony. I haven't been to an opening ceremony since London 2012, so I really hope I'll be able to live this experience again and enjoy the Paris Olympic Games, because there's nothing like it. To be part of the Olympic Games, representing your country, is a huge privilege and honor. It's very special to be part of the oldest event in the history of sports."

With these words written in a letter to the ITF, Novak Djokovic shared his immense love for representing Serbia, his home country. And representing his country has always been an honor for Novak Djokovic. Every great honor, however, brings with it burdens that can sometimes generate pressure that is difficult to manage. This is what happened throughout his career when he found himself taking to the field for his country: be it the Davis Cup, the United Cup and the Olympics.

Djokovic has appeared more vulnerable than ever in these events, especially at the Olympic Games. In Paris 2024 he will try to reverse the trend and win an important medal that is still missing from his glorious collection of trophies. The Serbian has not hidden: his true goal is to win that gold medal that he has often dreamed of holding in his hands.

"Of course, winning a gold medal or winning any medal for my country is one of my biggest wishes. It's one of the biggest priorities and goals I have this season, there's no secret about it. It will be a bit strange to play in the biggest stadiums of Roland Garros, but actually participate in the Olympic tournament. There will also be a different crowd that will come to see us and support us. Everything will be much louder, but that's exactly what the Olympic Games are about.

It's about bringing a sport that unites the world, having people from all over the world come to see you play and represent your country, which I love. Having the opportunity to spend time with the best athletes in the world, interact with them, talk about their methods, their preparation and their training method, their performances or share your thoughts with them, it inspires me a lot. As I said, it's different from anything else I've experienced in my individual tennis career.

The weeks of the Da

vis Cup or some team competitions, perhaps, are similar in a way. to some extent at the Olympic Games, at least in terms of team spirit, sharing the court and space with others. Being part of a team and not just playing for yourself. The Olympic Games are something unique, just spending time in the Olympic Village inspires you and makes you proud. I will try to learn from my previous Olympic experiences and keep my routine to give my best in Paris," added the Serbian champion, who could meet Rafael Nadal in the 2nd round of the Olympic tournament.

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Un post condiviso da ITF Tennis (@itftennis)

Vijay Amritraj, former Indian tennis player now inducted into the Newport Hall of Fame, talks about Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner and explains the advantage that the two players have today over Novak Djokovic. The former world number 16 believes that Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner now have Novak Djokovic's phone number. The former Indian tennis player says that the victories that Sinner and Alcaraz achieved against Djokovic will give them confidence in future battles. Interviewed by Star Sports, Amritraj added that Djokovic knows that these players are intent on beating him and are not intimidated by his aura.

"When I played against Borg, Connors, McEnroe, the best of my generation, I thought that on my good day nobody could beat me. I would beat them. I knew it, they knew it and I knew they knew it. Now, he adds, in their heads, Alcaraz and Sinner also know how to beat Djokovic. Djokovic knows it, Alcaraz knows it and Djokovic knows that Alcaraz knows it," he said.

Amritraj believes there has been a noticeable change in the players' body language when Sinner and Alcaraz play Djokovic: "There is a change in the dynamic that you can feel, also in terms of body language. The important thing for Sinner and Alcaraz is what they have learned from the first few times they played against Novak. They are showing great signs of maturity in their battles with him. Young players often make the mistake of trying to force the game when things are not going their way. Alcaraz and Sinner have shown great patience in their recent victories over Djokovic. What young players tend to do against a great champion when things are not going their way is to force it. When instead you should be saying: You know what, I am fitter than him, I can play him longer on a point, so I don't have to force the game and do too much. Forcing is what happened in the first matches, then they corrected it. Sinner managed to win in Australia and Alcaraz managed to win twice at Wimbledon."