Djokovic says ball incident will not change anything
PARIS: Novak Djokovic said he will not let the ball incident that caused his US Open disqualification affect the way he manages his emotions on court as he makes his Grand Slam return at Roland Garros.
The Serbian, disqualified in New York after accidentally hitting a line judge with a ball, bounced back by winning the title at the Italian Open, where his temper got the better of him as he smashed a racket in his quarterfinal match.
While he said he would be more careful and that the US incident had left a scar, Djokovic added that he will not rein himself in when it comes to showing his emotions on court.
“Of course, it was a shock for me and a lot of people. But that’s life, that’s sport. These things can happen,” Djokovic, who is chasing an 18th Grand Slam singles title at the French Open, told a news conference on Saturday.
“But I don’t think that this will have any significant negative impact on how I feel on the tennis court.
“I mean, I won the tournament in Rome just a week later after what happened in New York.
“I did not feel any kind of emotional disturbance or difficulty to actually be able to play or still express my emotions in whatever way.”
However, the world No.1 said he would not soon forget what happened in New York and that will affect his behaviour.
“Obviously I am going to be extra careful of hitting a tennis ball around the court,” added Djokovic.
“That’s something that is obviously staying in my mind after what happened in New York.
“It’s going to stay there for a long time. Of course, I will make sure I don’t make the same mistake twice.”
The 33-year-old Serb, who is a follower of meditation, added that getting over what happened in New York would be an inner process.