“Even if I lose, I have no regrets”: Djokovic on visualisation and Alcaraz’s future
Novak Djokovic talked about visualisation as a fundamental part of his preparation, as well as Casper Ruud, his opponent in the Roland-Garros final
Novak Djokovic – Roland-Garros 2023 © Chryslene Caillaud / Panoramic
Speaking to Serbian reporters following his win over Carlos Alcaraz (6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1) in the French Open semi-finals, Novak Djokovic praised the young Spaniard for his demeanour on and off the court.
Following the loss, in which he was hampered by cramping in the third and fourth set, Alcaraz didn’t make any excuses and refused to put any significance on Djokovic taking a toilet break after the second set.
“He is a terrific lad, always gives respect and credit to his opponents, this time towards me. He deserves a lot of credit for deciding not to retire, he held his head high – a mature decision that speaks volumes about him and people surrounding him – I think Juan Carlos Ferrero is a great influence, as someone who has been there already, former world No 1 and a Slam champion,” Djokovic told Serbian media.
The two-time French Open champion received some boos from the crowd after celebrating some of the points, but Alcaraz said that he probably would have done the same in Djokovic’s shoes because “you have to finish the match and maintain the intensity”. Djokovic agreed that it was a peculiar situation.
“I had to win the match, to stay focused until the end. In the beginning, when he started cramping, I looked across the net, to see what was going on etc. It’s awkward playing a hurt opponent because they just start hitting full power. It was very important for me to make a separation on the scoreboard, which I was able to do.”
Djokovic: Visualisation is integral
Djokovic also spoke about how vital visualisation is for him coming into each match.
“Yes, visualisation is an integral part of my preparation before every match: every season, for that matter. For something to become reality, one first has to picture it in one’s mind, to see it happening. I’ve experienced it so many times in my life: visualisation is just another confirmation of how powerful we are as human beings, but it needs to be worked on. Of course, God is always there, you need to pray, and to pray to angels for protection and help in some moments when you need a bit of luck,” said Djokovic before adding: “I am a big believer, I believe in divine intervention, but at the same time I believe that I am pulling the strings – it depends on me what my life will look like and the outcome of my matches. Of course, the opponent has a lot to say as well, but I believe that you need to finish 50 percent of your work before even stepping out on the court. My preparation is very thorough and professional – even if I lose, I have no regrets, because I know I’ve done everything in my power to be the best.”
Asked whether it gave him any special motivation that the analysts and journalists considered Alcaraz the favorite, Djokovic answered: “He was the favourite, I even said it before the tournament, nothing strange or unexpected about that. Maybe he felt the extra pressure and nervousness, it was the first time he was the favorite against me, which probably contributed to him cramping. He played extremely well in his first five matches here, he had a better clay season than me, so it made sense for him to be the favourite. I accepted that role – for a change, not being the favourite was refreshing and it took some pressure off. It rarely happens, but it happened today.”
Djokovic is due to face Casper Ruud in the final on Sunday. Djokovic leads the head-to-head 4-0 without dropping a set, including two clay court meetings.
“I know what to do, how to approach the preparation for the finals. Casper is a clay court specialist, last year’s finalist here, that says enough about his level. I think that he learned a lot of lessons playing Rafa in the finals last year, so I expect him this time to be more solid and to believe more that he can win. Firstly, I want to recover so that I can be ready for playing five sets potentially.”
