Novak Djokovic: "We don't have much time to start to name the many injuries I have"
Novak Djokovic mentioned having several injury concerns after the Serbian great had the trainer called during his 2023 French Open third-round match. The two-time Roland Garros champion was up against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the contest.
Djokovic defeated Fokina in straight sets, 7-6, 7-6, 6-2. But the match was very tiring for both players, as it lasted three hours and 36 minutes.
The World No. 3 called the trainer at the end of the second set to get treatment for his thigh. During the post-match press conference, he was asked whether it was for some kind of injury that should be worrisome during the rest of the tournament.
"Look, we don't have much time to start to name the many injuries I have, and the list is quite long. So, I mean, you know, I don't want to sit here and talk about these things that are not preventing me from playing. I still kept on playing," Djokovic said in reply to the question.
"These are the circumstances that you, as a professional athlete, have to deal with. Accept it. Sometimes you need help from physio during the match. Sometimes you need pills. Sometimes you need help from the God or angels, or whoever. Sometimes you just have to deal with the reality."
Djokovic recently dealt with an elbow injury, which affected his performance throughout the clay court season. But it doesn't look like the problem is there anymore at the French Open.
The Serb had one of the worst clay court seasons of his career prior to the second Grand Slam of the year. He failed to reach past the quarterfinal stage at the Monte Carlo Masters, the Srpska Open, and the Italian Open.
"Reality for me nowadays is that, yeah, my body is responding differently than it did few years ago. You know, I have to adjust to this new reality, so to say. But at the end of the day, I managed to finish the match, as I said. And, you know, on the court you try to do your best, everything possible, so you can finish the match and win. That's what happened in the end," Novak Djokovic concluded.
"I still have a lot of drive for Slams" - Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic explained that he still has the drive to win Grand Slam titles. He was speaking during his post-match press conference at the 2023 French Open.
Djokovic defeated Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the third round of the French Open, continuing his quest for what would be the 23rd Grand Slam title of his career.
"I still have a lot of, you know, drive to be on the tour, particularly for slams. I have said it many times before. So, you know, I try to focus the attention of the preparation and all the motivation and prepare myself as best as I possibly can for Grand Slams, where I want to peak and where I want to try to, you know, hopefully get my hands on another Grand Slam title," Novak Djokovic said.
Rafael Nadal recently stated that 2024 will most likely be the last year of his career. Djokovic, on the other side, doesn't have a particular date in mind.
"You know, I don't have an end in my head clear, but, you know, as long as there is this drive, as long as I'm able to push myself on a daily basis to really have clear goals and objectives and things that are really pushing me to stand up every day and say, okay, you know, I'm ready to do this, you know, over again for God knows, you know, how many times in my career.
"At times, it's, especially nowadays, it is challenging, more challenging than it was when I was younger, but that's why I think it's extremely important for an athlete to have clear goal and objectives long term, short term, because when you make a plan, when you make a strategy and you know what the big goal is, then I guess it's easier to go on a weekly basis, on a daily basis, about your business," Djokovic concluded.