Sports Desk, Jan 17 (EFE).- Novak Djokovic, the Serbian 10-time Australian Open champion, has returned to Melbourne for his 21st tournament, confident in his chances but acknowledging his rivals.
“It’s great to be back again… I believe it was in 2005 the first time I qualified for a Grand Slam, I played the night session on Rod Laver Arena against Marat Safin, who would later win the title,” the 24-time Grand Slam winner recalled at a press conference at Melbourne Park on Sunday.
The 38-year-old, who arrived in Melbourne not having played any tournaments beforehand after withdrawing from the Adelaide Open, aims to reduce any pressure he feels.
«There has been a lot of talk about the 25th but, you know, I try to focus myself on what I have achieved, not what I’m possibly achieving. I mean, I hope it comes to that, but 24 is also not a bad number. I have to appreciate that and remind myself of the amazing career I had. And also release some of that unnecessary pressure.”
Djokovic recalled the high level he has consistently shown, particularly in recent years despite not winning the title, and acknowledged that his main rivals, Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz and Italian Jannik Sinner, are at the moment a step above him.
“I know that when I’m healthy, when I’m able to put all the pieces of the puzzle together on a given day, I feel like I can beat anybody. If I don’t have that self-belief and confidence in myself, I wouldn’t be sitting here and talking to you guys or competing,” said Djokovic.
«I still have the drive, and of course I understand that Sinner and Alcaraz are playing on a different level right now from everybody else. That’s a fact, but that doesn’t mean that nobody else has a chance. So I like my chances always in any tournament, particularly here.»
Djokovic said he’s «missing a little bit of juice in my legs, to be honest, to be able to compete with these guys (Alcaraz and Sinner) at the later stages of a Grand Slam.”
But he added that he’s giving it his all and while everyone knows his rivals are the dominant force in tennis right now, he’s still number four in the world and “can’t complain” — that he’s broken almost every record and is grateful to tennis for allowing him to live his dream, and to travel the world.
“I have been asked a lot about obviously when is the end date going to come for me, but I don’t want to talk or think about it yet because I’m here, I’m competing,” he said.
“When that arrives and kind of becomes ripe in my head, I’ll share it with you, and then we can all discuss on the farewell tour. But right now I’m still number four in the world, still competing at the highest level, and I feel like there is no need to draw the attention to that discussion.”
Djokovic begins his tournament against Spaniard Pedro Martínez on Monday. EFE
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