Djokovic on his locker-room moment with Alcaraz: “Beautiful message for our sport”

Following his win over Laslo Djere in the second round of the US Open, Novak Djokovic revealed to Serbian reporters that he was struggling a bit physically.

Djokovic was up 6-4 6-4 2-0 before Djere retired due to injury, but Novak also appeared to be struggling, and asked for a medical time out at the end of the first set:

“Yes, I had troubles with my stomach in the bigger part of the first two sets. It reflected on my recovery in-between points. I was sweating a lot, I had difficulties breathing.”

I had troubles with my stomach in the bigger part of the first two sets.

Djokovic on his physical issues

The 24-time major champion also spoke about the playing conditions in New York, which has been a topic of much discussion:

“Courts play a lot faster this year, the bounce is lower. The organizers say they made it that way because last year there were a lot of marathon, gruelling matches. As for the balls, it seems to me that they’re great – they don’t become fluffy and heavy, which makes it easier on the joints.”

Djokovic opens up on off-court respect

In an interview with Tennis Majors, Djokovic’s former physiotherapist Marco Panichi described how Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz shared a moment in the locker room following last year’s Cincinnati final.

The Serbian media asked Novak to comment on that:

“I feel that it was a beautiful message for our sport – when the fight is over, we shake hands, we hug, we give each other respect and support. I strived to have those kinds of relations throughout my life, with my biggest rivals too – to be kind, to treat them with respect. You know what they say – treat others the way you want to be treated. I am glad that Marco shared some of our moments together with you. I love him as a person first and foremost, we will be friends forever.”

Djokovic is due to play Alexei Popyrin in the third round of the US Open. The 24-time Grand Slam champion holds a 3-0 head-to-head record with the Aussie, having beaten him in four sets at both Australian Open and Wimbledon this year.

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