‘I HAVE LEARNT A LOT ABOUT MYSELF AS A PLAYER AND A PERSON ...’
▶ Ahead of his Mubadala World Tennis Championship semi-final in Abu Dhabi, Novak Djokovic talks to Graham Caygill about what has been a remarkable year on the court
When Novak Djokovic steps out on court on Friday at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship it will complete a stunning turnaround for the world No 1, after what he described as a “roller-coaster” 12 months.
Djokovic was part of the lineup for last year’s tournament in Abu Dhabi but had to withdraw, having already arrived in the UAE, due to a persistent elbow injury that had ruled him out of action since the 2017 Wimbledon tournament. Yet fast forward to this weekend and the outlook is much brighter for Djokovic.
Fully recovered from his elbow injury following surgery in February, the 31-year-old Serb now has 14 grand slam titles to his name after winning Wimbledon and the US Open back-to-back and has returned to the summit of the world rankings.
“It has been an exciting 12 months,” Djokovic said when asked to sum up his feelings compared to last year. “Twelve months ago, I was still carrying the injury of the elbow, which two months after that resulted in surgery.
“Post surgery, I was 22 in the world and in four or five months I was No 1, so it has been a roller-coaster ride to be honest and I am very grateful for that.”
Djokovic had been the dominant force in men’s tennis in recent years.
His French Open success in 2016 saw him become only the
third men’s player to hold all four major titles at the same time, as well as allowing him to complete a career grand slam.
But a loss of form and then the subsequent elbow injury saw him surrender the world No 1 ranking and go the whole of 2017 without winning a grand slam for the first time since 2010.
But a run of success, which started with his fourth Wimbledon crown in July, set up a scintillating second half of 2018. He won the Masters events in Cincinnati and Shanghai, as well as a third US Open title, before he signed off the year by finishing as runner-up at the ATP Tour Finals in London.
Djokovic’s renaissance to the ATP rankings summit also created history. No player had been as low as Djokovic (22) in a calendar year and ended it as world No 1, sending out a strong statement to his rivals, not least Rafael Nadal, the man he usurped at the top of the rankings.
Djokovic said overcoming adversity to get back to winning grand slams had helped him grow as a person.
“This season has taught myself a lot about myself as a tennis player and as a person,” he said. “I had to really dig deep in every sense to really try switch tables in my favour in terms of tennis.
“I had to really understand my game from every aspect to get to where I am at the moment.”
Djokovic and the rest of the ATP Tour head to Melbourne in January for the Australian Open, the first major of 2019.
The city has proven a happy hunting ground for Djokovic in the past, securing his first grand slam there in 2008 and adding five more with the most recent success in 2016.
Of his expectations for a seventh victory there, Djokovic said: “Hopefully, the confidence I had from the past six months I can carry into the beginning of 2019 season.”
Before that there is the business of attempting to become a four-time MWTC champion in Abu Dhabi this weekend.
Djokovic collected the title three times in a row between 2011 and 2013 and will face Karen Khachanov in the semi-finals after getting a bye to the last four.
“I have had a lot of success at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in the past in my career,” Djokovic said.
“It is a great way to jump start the season. It always great to see a lot of families in the stands and experience some high quality tennis in a relaxed atmosphere.”
It has been an exciting 12 months. I was 22 in the world and in four or five months I was No 1. It has been a roller-coaster ride