"It can help all players a lot" - When Novak Djokovic spoke about importance of meditation in his daily life after Stefanos Tsitsipas' admission
Novak Djokovic once spoke about the importance of meditation in his everyday life. The Serb also lauded Stefanos Tsitsipas for incorporating mindfulness techniques into his practice routine.
After winning the 2022 Monte-Carlo Masters, Tsitsipas revealed his inclination towards Buddhism and meditation. The Greek credited mindfulness practices, especially conscious breathing, for his recent success.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion, on his part, has been a long-time practitioner of meditation. Speaking to press at the Serbia Open, Djokovic stressed that meditation helps him not only on the court but off it as well.
"Meditation is really important to me; it is one of the main points in my day to day, not only in training or in my tennis career," Novak Djokovic said. "I have incorporated aspects of meditation into my daily routines, they make me feel good."
Turning his attention to Stefanos Tsitsipas, the World No. 1 expressed delight that a fellow tennis player is reaping the benefits of age-old wellness philosophies. Djokovic believes all tennis players can make use of meditation, provided they find the methods best suited to them.
I am glad that Stefanos is doing all that, and it is clear that the results are a good sample of the benefits," Novak Djokovic continued. "It is clear that meditation is not the only factor, but I know that it can help all tennis players a lot. You have to find your own formula, I have achieved it and everyone should probably look for theirs."
"Meditation can be many things" - Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic further pointed out that meditation is a broad term that houses several useful techniques such as breathing and mindfulness. The Serb reckons meditation can also help professional sportspeople find extra energy and improve their concentration levels.
The World No. 1 claimed that technology and other distractions have diminished our willingness to reach out to our inner-self, which in turn hampers our ability to recover well and sharpen our focus.
"Breathing, mindfulness ... Meditation can be many things, but as professional athletes we are always active: we need a lot of energy on the track, a very high level of concentration, and I think that today's technologies and distractions that we have don't allow us to pay the necessary attention to relax, breathe, recharge batteries and focus on ourselves," Novak Djokovic added.