Novak Djokovic has shared insight into how he approaches his mental toughness, recognizing that it was crucial in helping him win the greatest internal struggle.
Beyond his extraordinary accomplishments on the court, Djokovic’s remarkable mental toughness stands out as a pillar of his extraordinary career. Journalist Jon Wertheim praised this Serb’s mental toughness and called it a great gift in a recent interview. Djokovic quickly corrected Wertheim, pointing out that it was a result of his hard work rather than a natural gift.
Wertheim asked Djokovic: “I think a lot of people think, ‘Oh, in the moment, Novak’s so locked in.’ You’re saying this is all part of a process?”
Djokovic expressed his words about it and said: “I would have to correct you. I’d have to correct you. It’s not a gift. It’s something that comes with work.”
The world No. 1 went on to talk about the different methods he employed to develop this strength, emphasizing the value of deliberate breathing during high-stress situations in a game.
He added: “Absolutely. Well, there are different techniques. Conscious breathing is a big part, especially in the moments when you’re under tension. You are a human being. The difference, I guess, between the guys who can be the biggest champions and the ones who are struggling to get to the highest level is the ability to not stay in those emotions for too long. So, for me, it’s relatively short. So as soon as I experience it, I acknowledge it. I may, you know, burst. I scream on the court, whatever happens. But then I’m able to bounce back and reset.”
Djokovic concluded his discussion: “Oh, I mean, I might appear to be locked in. But, you know, trust me, there is a storm inside. And, you know, the biggest battle is always within, right?”
Novak Djokovic says it’s impossible to ignore negative thoughts as an athlete ‘You are a human being’:
“Especially in the moments when you’re under tension.. I might appear locked in, but trust me, there’s a storm inside. The biggest battle is always within. You have your doubts… pic.twitter.com/eDqexSxK7A
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) December 11, 2023
Novak Djokovic in 2023
WLWWWWWWWW Currently ranked no.1, Novak played his last match on the 25th of November when he capitulated to world no.4 Jannik Sinner 6-2 2-6 7-5 in the Rubber 2 of the Davis Cup (draw).
Currently, during this season Novak has achieved a composed 56-7 match record. Novak conquered 7 titles in 2023 in Adelaide, Australian Open, French Open, Cincinnati, U.S. Open, Paris and the Nitto ATP Finals. Novak got to the final in Wimbledon.
Novak Djokovic |
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