The 2011 US Open was a special one in the career of Novak Djokovic. After two unsuccessful attempts in the finals there, the Serb finally managed to win the title in New York after putting on some impressive performances throughout the tournament. However, the match that stood out for Djokovic was the semifinal against Roger Federer. Recently, this encounter got a special mention from the Swedish tennis legend, Mats Wilander.

Djokovic, who was the top seed there, went on to defeat Federer in a thrilling five-set contest. Although the Serb was 2-0 down in that match, he made a resounding comeback to defeat Federer. Earlier this week, a new episode of Andy Zodin’s podcast dropped where Wilander lauded Djokovic’s firm mentality.

He said, “Novak Djokovic said to himself, you know Roger, you’re not going to beat me by hitting the winners. I am going to be the one that’s going to decide what’s going to happen. He closes his eyes and rips two forehands that were harder than any forehands that he must have ever hit. Of course, both of them went in and he ended up winning the US Open that year.”

Further, Wilander also went on to point out another interesting aspect that sets Djokovic apart from his rivals. During the Serb’s career, injuries seldom played spoilsport, unlike his rivals who spent a lengthy period on the sidelines. Thus, his physical prowess coupled with mental fortitude made Djokovic a cut above the rest. Additionally, the World Number 1 has been very vocal about the mental aspects of his game.

Novak Djokovic and his battles within

A few weeks ago, a video went viral on social media that had Djokovic explain how to improve the game mentality. Further, he also had some suggestions on how to shun away the negativity. In the video, the Serb could be heard saying, “There are different techniques. Conscious breathing is a big part, especially in the moments when you’re under tension. I might appear locked in but trust me there’s a storm inside and the biggest, always, battle is within.”

Further, he went on to add, “I don’t like this kind of a mindset that I see a lot of in sports like just think positive thoughts, be optimistic, there’s no room for failure, there’s no room for, you know, for doubts and stuff like this. It’s impossible. You are a human being. ”

This viewpoint of Djokovic even received praise from tennis legend, Kim Clijsters. There is no hiding the fact that Djokovic has stayed strong both physically as well as mentally. This has resulted in him being one of the most successful players the sport has seen.