Novak Djokovic interview: It’s not been difficult to deal with adversity... I grew up in a war-torn country

Immaterial of what happens at the ATP Finals in London from Sunday, Novak Djokovic will conclude the season as the year-end No1 for a record sixth time.

But even in a year where he won one Grand Slam, was runner-up in another and the best player in the third, where he enjoyed a winning streak of 26 matches and won two other titles, there is still a nagging sense the year could have been even better.

“When I draw a line under the season as year-end No1 and winning four tournaments and having been unbeaten for a while, of course, whatever I do here, that’s amazing,” he said. “But I do still look for more than that. Having had plenty of success in the past is a huge incentive, but also it can be a burden, as you always expect nothing less from yourself.”

Djokovic remains the overwhelming favourite for singles title No5 in 2020 at the O2 Arena. He relishes the indoor courts — although points out he has not won in London the last four years — and has his sights set on equalling Roger Federer’s six ATP Finals titles.

For tennis, and for Djokovic in particular, it has been a year of adversity: from his US Open disqualification for hitting a line judge to the ill-fated Adria Tour, in which he and others contracted Covid-19, and the setting up of the new Professional Tennis Players Association.

And yet, at 33, he seems to relish that adversity — a factor he puts down to his upbringing in Belgrade.

“I kind of grew up in adversity when you think about it,” he said. “Growing up in a war-torn country during the Nineties with sanctions, embargoes and that — there was a lot happening during my early childhood days. So, I got accustomed to that.

“When I started travelling and experiencing different adversities, it was not as difficult for me to deal with, as it was kind of muscle memory. That doesn’t mean you have to go through war to develop resilience, I don’t wish war on anybody.

“But in my case it did help me to develop a thicker skin, to be able to prove myself even more. That fuels me to prove I can achieve things whatever is in front of me.”

On court, the adversity seems to lift him. After his New York disqualification, he returned by winning his very next tournament, the Italian Open, and then reached the final of the French Open, where he reflects now he did not stand a chance against a Rafael Nadal at his peak.

And, off the court, despite advice from others around him, he has no plans simply to stick to tennis or shy away from controversy.

“Whether I should focus on tennis and nothing else, I think that’s impossible for me anymore,” he said. “I’m not at this stage of my life anymore. I have things happening in my life and can’t neglect that and think only about winning a tennis trophy and breaking records without thinking about my kids, family and other things. I’m fine balancing that.

“I understand many people have many different opinions. I respect when someone has a different opinion and expresses that publicly, say the players’ association, the PTPA. I found myself being criticised a lot, but I do what my heart tells me.

“I try to remind myself that anything that I involve myself with needs to have a positive impact and reflection on tennis, sport and life in general. Sure, everyone makes mistakes, I have flaws as everybody else, but I don’t have an issue being honest and transparent.”

It seemed unthinkable at the outbreak of the pandemic that the ATP Finals, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, would go ahead. There were even predictions by some of the top players there would be no professional tennis in 2020, but the end-of-season event, which is being held in London for the last time before it moves to Turin, has been preceded by two Grand Slams and a series of ATP Masters events.

For Djokovic and his peers, that has meant skipping from one bio-secure bubble to the next. In his latest, at the Intercontinental Hotel, restrictions are so tight that instead of walking to the adjoining O2, he has to be driven to the venue by car.

The Serbian, however, is not complaining, with his sights firmly set on the record books. Already, he has achieved one this week in matching Pete Sampras’s six year-end No1s. Federer’s ATP Finals wins is next and then the 20 Grand Slam singles titles, a record Federer and Nadal now share.

Djokovic knows he should have ended the year on 18 had it not been for what he calls “the unfortunate incident in New York” where, by his own admission, he was playing the best tennis of his season. But when he takes stock over the season, he insists he will not regret the delay of No18.

“With New York, I got out of the tournament with something not related to hitting a forehand or backhand into the net,” he said. “And the French Open final? I couldn’t say I regret something and think I was close, because I wasn’t. I was just outplayed and so it’s not difficult to move on.

“And I don’t think about age as an issue for me, maybe that I have a year or two or three left in me to fight for more Slams. Sure, I have to be a bit more strategic from next season with creating my calendar, which tournaments I want to prioritise and where I want to peak.

“But as long as the desire is there, I’m healthy and I have the support of my family, I’ll keep on playing. I don’t see it as an obligation, it’s not a financial issue or anything like that, I just still enjoy it and want to compete at the highest level. As long as I feel like that, I’ll be here a long time. I don’t want to put an expiry date on me yet!”

The world No1 believes he is still improving as a player, and the events of 2020 would back that up. He is also drawn to improving as a human being, something to which he alluded after the controversies surrounding both the Adria Tour and then the US Open.

He readily admits he finds the tennis betterment easier. “Because I’ve played tennis since four, so more or less every single day for almost 30 years of my life, I think I’ve mastered improving specific areas of my game.

“I find it easier to improve on a tennis court, although I’m still training to be a better husband and father, I’m still young at that.”

In the build-up to the tournament, the focus is solely on tennis improvement and bowing out from London and the season with another plus. “I’ve had plenty of success in London” he said. “I feel good about myself, but it’s still a long way to get my hands on the trophy.”