World No.1 Novak Djokovic hailed his on-court rival Rafael Nadal for having one of the best forehands in the game.
Just a few weeks after winning his eighth Australian Open title, Novak Djokovic is back in action at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
The Serbian will be looking to continue his season after getting the better of Dominic Thiem in the AO 2020 final.
Djokovic looked great in the final and after winning his 17th Grand Slam, there have been questions of him overtaking Roger Federer in that race.
The Serbian is three behind Roger Federer and two behind Rafael Nadal but wasn’t keen on such records. Djokovic was told that Nadal wasn’t obsessed with it and asked what was his stance:
“I’m not. I would agree with Rafa. We have goals. My goal is to reach the record for most weeks as No. 1 and win as many Grand Slams as possible. That’s why I keep on competing at this level.”
However, winning the most titles wasn’t important for the Djoker. He claimed that enjoying the sport was more important:
“It comes secondary to what matters the most to me, which is, first of all, the love for the game. The enjoyment while holding a tennis racquet, enjoying the process, enjoying the journey of being on the court, of travelling around the world, being surrounded by people that have a lot of faith in me.”
Djokovic also claimed that tennis was like a “platform” for him to learn more about himself.
The Aussie Open champion claimed that the sport triggered him in a positive manner. Djokovic claimed that the sport helps him grow as a person, and it is more than just winning titles.
Djokovic also holds several records to his name and has had some epic battles with Federer and Nadal.
The Serbian was asked which record was most dear to him, however, the 32-year-old spoke about a childhood dream:
“I always dreamt of winning Wimbledon when I was a kid. Improvised Wimbledon trophies when I was 6-7 years old. That was always my dream. To be no.1, to win Wimbledon.”
Djokovic could still finish this season tied at the top of the list with the most Grand Slams. However, he would need to win all three titles this year, which is difficult given how Nadal is great at Roland Garros.
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