Australian Open: "Partly unfair" - Djokovic speaks of criticism after his injury
Novak Djokovic set the course for a successful 2021 with an impressive Australian Open final. How successful can it be? He doesn't want to narrow it down.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Feb 22, 2021, 09:39 am
The odds before the final were almost the same, the question of Novak Djokovic's state of health during the tournament was too uncertain, his opponent Daniil Medvedev too strong.
At the end? If the Djoker triumphed - 7: 5, 6: 2, 6: 2, then the numbers of the endgame that was quite one-sided. And a title that "was definitely one of the most challenging," said Djokovic. "I was emotionally confused about the quarantine, the injury, what the media was writing about the players ..."
The injury: the big theme of the tournament. Djokovic picked it up in the third round match against Taylor Fritz and fought her way through the games against Milos Raonic and Sascha Zverev. Whether and how severe the injury was really? The big question. "It was a muscle tear in the oblique abdominal muscles," said Djokovic on Sunday. "It felt like a crack, it snapped, and it felt like this."
He noticed that people were wondering what it was like how he could get well again so quickly. "Yes, I understand that, everyone has the right to their own opinion or to criticize others. I only found it partially unfair." What and how to have treated? The Djoker didn't want to say. "You can see the details in the documentation at the end of the year . Everything that has been done behind the scenes is there."
#VIDEO#
Djokovic about the end of 2020: "an up and down"
His 18th major triumph: a satisfaction also because the past year had ended badly for Djokovic. "The disqualification at the US Open hit me," said the world number one, looking back. "I had a good run, felt great. It was an up and down at the end of the season, somehow strange, also combined with a little lack of motivation.
Which is back now. The Rod Laver Arena - for Djokovic probably the living room in tennis, "As a child I dreamed of winning Wimbledon, which I managed in 2011. But if you look at the big picture, the Rod Laver Arena is THE place for me", so the now nine-time Melbourne winner.
How it goes on? Does he want to remain undefeated in 2021, as he had already announced for 2020 ? Yes and no. "I don't plan on going undefeated this year," he said. "But I want to win every match I play. If that answers the question."
laver arena