"The young guys are there" - Novak Djokovic admits need to work on his game 'more than ever' with challenge looming from Next Gen
Novak Djokovic has accepted the challenge from the younger stars on the ATP tour and the upcoming Next Gen, admitting that he feels the need to push himself "more than ever" in training.
Djokovic's Paris Masters title defense got off to a strong start with a 7-6(1), 6-4 win against Maxime Cressy on Tuesday. Speaking to Tennis Channel soon after the match, the Serb opened up about his "pure emotion and passion" for tennis and said that there is no 'magic potion' to excel in tennis and that success comes only with hard work.
He then stated that the challenge posed by younger players is much bigger now than it was in the past, forcing him to keep improving.
"There is not one magic potion or secret to success. It's various things. I love tennis, I really have this pure emotion and passion for the game," Djokovic said during a chat with Prakash Amritraj.
"Everyday I push myself along with my team members to improve and work on things. I probably have to do it more than I ever have because the young guys are there and they pose a different challenge than maybe 10 years ago," he added.
As things stand, World No. 7 Djokovic is fighting to jump back up the ATP rankings, where, barring his great rival Rafael Nadal, all other players above him are aged 26 or under, led by World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz.
The 21-time Grand Slam champion further stated that he is enjoying the challenge and his life as a tennis player, which is made possible only by the support of his family and close ones.
"But I really enjoy it, I really enjoy this life of a tennis player. Support of the close people in my life is crucial, my wife, my parents. If I don't have that, it wouldn't be possible for me to be emotionally balanced and be able to travel around the world and do what I do best," the Serb continued.
Novak Djokovic feels 'responsible' to always put on a good show on the court
Novak Djokovic also shared his thoughts on the support from fans, not just towards him, but also the sport in general. He feels that while fans are excited about watching the top players compete, they also want to enjoy their experiences of watching live matches, and that gives him the responsibility to perform to the best of his ability.
"People pay (for) tickets, they come to watch us, they're tennis fans, they're enthusiastic about watching us play, but also they want to have a good time. You can feel responsible as one of the top players to always deliver a good show and bring some good emotions and get involved in that kind of interaction with fans," he said on the same.
Next up for Djokovic at the Paris Masters is a Round-of-16 clash against US Open semifinalist Karen Khachanov on Thursday. The Serb is chasing a record-extending seventh title in Paris-Bercy. He holds all the big records at the Masters 1000 tournament in the French capital.