Djokovic motivated to have his best season in 2020, but insists trophies cannot fulfil him
Despite winning 17 grand slams, Novak Djokovic insists his main motivation is not trophies as he aims to dominate in 2020.
Novak Djokovic says winning trophies is not his main motivation as he sets out to have a career-best season in 2020.
Djokovic got the year off to a flying start, defeating Dominic Thiem to retain his Australian Open title and reclaiming the world number one spot from Rafael Nadal in the process.
The 17-time grand slam champion has now outlined his intention to have the best season of his career in 2020, as he aims to go all the way to gold at the Tokyo Olympics.
However, Djokovic insisted it is his love of tennis that inspires him, rather than the pursuit of trophies.
“For me, while everyone talks about trophies, that creates a lot of tension,” Djokovic said at a news conference in Belgrade.
“I have my goals of course, trophies can make me proud and happy in the moment, but they can’t fulfil me in life.
“My main inspiration is the joy I feel while I am holding a racquet. If that wasn’t the case, I wouldn’t be here. If I don’t nurture that initial love then I can’t be fulfilled.
“I am motivated and inspired to have my best season this year. It is an Olympic year, which means that the schedule will be busy, not just for me, but for all the top players.
“There will be little room for rest after Wimbledon. I had the honour of winning a bronze medal in 2008 and somehow feel that maybe the time has come for another medal, I hope. I will do everything in my power to reach the peak at the Olympics.”
Post final Serbian Kolo traditional dance #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/FFAUB8sjN7
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) February 8, 2020
Despite his success, Djokovic has never been able to capture the adoration of tennis crowds in the same way that Rodger Federer and Nadal have, yet the 32-year-old does not believe he is disliked.
“A lot has been written about how I am not loved. I don’t like to talk about myself, but my personal impression is that I have a lot of support and sympathy for me,” he said.
“When I play Federer or Nadal, the crowd supports them but that doesn’t mean I am hated and that I should turn the whole of the Serbian public against the world.
“Even if people don’t love me everywhere, why would I want to add fuel to the fire? I don’t want to put too much attention on it, I don’t want to deal with or think about negative emotions, hatred or anger. Sometimes I get distracted, I have outbursts.
“I admit that and I am not proud of it but I am a human being that makes mistakes and I try to become better every day.
“If I invest my energy in these stories that I am not loved, that story will keep growing and why would I want that?”
