If his fellow players hoped that Novak Djokovic would slow down a bit now that he’s on top of Olympus with his 23 Grand Slam titles, they’ll be sorely disappointed.
The great Serb preceded Rafael Nadal and went down in men’s tennis history in his own right when he won the French Open last month. But he made short shrift of any suggestion of some relaxation in his hunger for titles.
“I don’t feel relaxed anymore, to be honest,” he said ahead of his Wimbledon title defense, with a smile that sent shivers down his rivals. “I’m still hungry for success, for more Grand Slams, more achievements.
“As long as that drive is there, I know I can compete at the highest level. If that doesn’t work, I think I’ll have to deal with different circumstances and a different approach. So far there is still the drive.
“Of course part of me is very proud of 23 Slams. I want to try to use every chance I have at this stage, where I feel good in my body, am motivated and play very good tennis, to try and get more.’
Novak Djokovic (pictured above) sent a warning to his opponents by admitting he no longer feels relaxed heading into Wimbledon
The Serb will look to defend his title and win a fifth consecutive Wimbledon title
Djokovic allowed himself a short holiday after Paris, to the island of São Miguel in the Azores. But it sounds like it was more against palm trees than lounging in lounge chairs.
“I went on a trip with my wife, just the two of us,” says the 36-year-old. ‘It was quite an “active” rest. We were walking and doing a lot of nature activities for five, six days a week after Paris.
“You have very little time between the French Open final and Wimbledon. You can’t let go of your body and eat whatever you want or don’t sleep, don’t work out, and then try to get yourself into top shape in a matter of seven or eight days to be able to perform. That’s not going to work.
“It’s dedication 365 days a year, but it’s not something that I feel is a burden. I like the healthy lifestyle. It makes me feel good. I have more energy. I am better for myself, for others.’
To explain why it is legitimate to question Djokovic’s hunger for more titles, we have to go back to 2016, when he won his first French Open, to complete the set of four Grand Slams. What followed was the worst period of his career, a run of eight majors without a title.
He has acknowledged that the relative slump was due to diminished motivation, now that “his Everest,” as he called it, had been conquered. He has now climbed an even higher peak, but this time it is clearly different. “A few days after Roland Garros I was already thinking about preparing on grass and what needs to be done,” he said.
“A lot of people congratulated me, which is nice of course, but at the same time my mind was already on Wimbledon – the next Slam, the next task.”
Next up is a fifth Wimbledon crown in a row and an eighth overall to match Roger Federer’s tally. Djokovic is a huge favorite to win the title and continue his extraordinary streak of unbeaten streak on Center Court over the last 10 years – since that day in 2013 when Andy Murray beat him to end 77 years of British agony .
Djokovic admitted that after his victory in Paris, he was thinking about Wimbledon and his next task
Carlos Alcaraz (above) is the man most likely to end his incredible 10-year unbeaten run on Center Court
The man most likely to end that streak these two weeks is Spanish phenom Carlos Alcaraz, who won the US Open last year and the title at Queen’s Club last week. He is clearly the coming force in men’s tennis, so is Djokovic enjoying the new challenge Alcaraz offers?
“There’s always someone there,” he replied. “It always has been and always will be. Carlos is a really nice guy who acts very mature for a 20 year old. I think he’s great for the game as a player who brings a lot of intensity and energy on the pitch, but is also humble and has a nice personality off the pitch.
“But for me, I don’t need Carlos or anyone else to find that extra drive and motivation when I come in. Most of my attention is on my body and my mind, my game, getting it to the optimal state where I give my best every game.’
And if the Zen master of tennis manages to maintain that ‘optimum state’ for the next two weeks, Alcaraz, Murray and the rest will play for second place.