via Reuters
Tennis – Australian Open – Men’s Singles Final – Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, February 21, 2021 Serbia’s Novak Djokovic celebrates winning his final match against Russia’s Daniil Medvedev REUTERS/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
via Reuters
Tennis – Australian Open – Men’s Singles Final – Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, February 21, 2021 Serbia’s Novak Djokovic celebrates winning his final match against Russia’s Daniil Medvedev REUTERS/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Novak Djokovic is the king of the hill in Australia for the third year in a row, and his story of overcoming injury and pain to win his ninth Australian Open title is out of this world.
The Serbian ace suffered from an apparent muscle tear in the third-round match against Taylor Fritz. From then on, the wounded lion endured pain until he tasted glory, defeating Daniil Medvedev in the final.
Although the story is remarkable, many in the tennis world did not believe he was actually injured. Thus, the 33-year-old’s coach, Goran Ivanišević, has come forward to give insights on the Serbian’s recovery.
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Read More: Novak Djokovic Announces Documentary on His Australian Open 2021 Recovery Struggles
Novak Djokovic uses mental exercises to minimize the pain
Novak Djokovic had confessed that he would have withdrawn from the tournament had it not been a Major. In the end, he showed more passion to win the Happy Slam than any other player.
via Reuters
Tennis – Australian Open – Men’s Singles Final – Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, Serbia’s Novak Djokovic celebrates with the trophy after winning his final match against Russia’s Daniil Medvedev REUTERS/Loren Elliott
Ivanišević, who has been the Serbian’s coach since 2019, revealed how Djokovic can play through tremendous pain. He hailed the 18-time Grand Slam champion’s mind above all else as the healer.
“Novak’s mind is so strong,” Goran said. “He believes in his mental exercises and with those relaxation methods of his he was able to minimize the pain as much as it was physically possible, with the help of painkillers as well.”
America’s renowned journalist, Steve Flink, also backed the Serbian ace’s case.
Despite single-handedly dominating tennis for the last ten years, Djokovic is habitually construed negatively. Even then, he finds a way to turn all criticism into positive energy on the court.
Read More: Rafael Nadal, Dominic Thiem, and Roger Federer Absent From the Top-8 for the Race to ATP Finals 2021
Which tournament will Djokovic play next?
Presently, Djokovic and Roger Federer are equal at 310 weeks for the World No. 1 record. Djokovic will inevitably break the record in the coming week.
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via Getty
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 14: Roger Federer of Switzerland and Novak Djokovic of Serbia embrace at the net after their singles match during Day Five of the Nitto ATP Finals at The O2 Arena on November 14, 2019, in London, England. (Photo by James Chance/Getty Images)
Other than that, Djokovic is the top seed at the upcoming Miami Open 2021. Interestingly, the Serbian ace also has many memories connected with the Hard Rock Stadium, such as the fact that he is the youngest ever to win a Masters 1000. Djokovic won Miami Open in 2017 at 19. Also, his most Masters titles out of his glorious 36 hail are from Miami.
In conclusion, fans will be eagerly waiting to watch him play on the clay court. Hopefully, he will recover in time and entertain the world with his great hand.
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Will Novak win the Miami Open 2021?
Also Read: Will Roger Federer Be Considered as the GOAT Even After Novak Djokovic Surpasses His Records?
