Stressing his Grand Slam and Olympic ambitions, Novak Djokovic, who recently made a comeback as world No 1, said this season could be his best and feels motivated to race with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal for the title of the greatest tennis player of all time.
Djokovic, 32, reminded at a press conference at his tennis courts in Belgrade on Tuesday that the ATP Cup title last month with the Serbian national team motivated him to win his eighth title at Australian open at the beginning of this month, which put him above Nadal at the top ATP rankings, reports Xinhua news agency.
“Season started for me in the best possible way. I am extremely motivated and inspired to turn it, maybe — into my best season. I am aware that this is the Olympic season. This means that the schedule will be tiresome and full for me and all other top tennis players. There will be less time for relaxation after the Wimbledon.”Novak Djokovic, Serbian tennis player
"Of course, my goals are to focus on Grand Slams as always, as well as the Olympic Games. I had the honour to win the bronze medal for Serbia in Beijing in 2008, and I feel that the moment came to win another one. I will give my best to prepare and be at my top level for the Olympics and Grand Slam tournaments."
Djokovic said he feels proud and honoured to be able to represent Serbia at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
"I will approach the Olympic Games like any other tournament because I see this is as the best way to be in a position to fight for one of the medals. On the other hand, I look forward to experiencing what no other tournament can bring — the Olympic atmosphere in the village," Djokovic said.
Asked about the race between him, Nadal and Federer for the title of the greatest player of all time, which is expected to culminate in the following two years, Djokovic said that he "sees always himself at the throne".
“Federer’s top performance, in his age deserves every praise. He enjoys while playing, and such talent is rarely seen in the history of the sport.’Novak Djokovic, on Roger Federer
“At the same time, I think he still has the highest ambitions when it comes to ATP list ranking and Grand Slam titles, and I think that the two of us (Djokovic and Nadal) are his biggest motivation to realise his goals. The same goes for me, absolutely," Djokovic summed up.
"The two of them, our matches and our fights, this is what additionally motivates me. I have been growing up with these guys and shaped them as much as they shaped me. In duels with them over the past 15 years, I grew into this kind of a tennis player," he concluded.
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