Novak Djokovic: The eternal struggle for recognition and athletic power
For Novak Djokovic , number one in the tennis world, 2020 was a year of many slips. Most recently he started a conflict with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer by founding the PTPA, and now he has blacked out on the court.
by Jörg Allmeroth
last edit: Sep 08, 2020, 01:16 pm
It has been a while since Novak Djokovic sat in the glamorous Country Club in Monte Carlo and, during a long conversation in private, drew a brief, concise conclusion of his career up to then: "I have achieved the impossible," said Djokovic. What he meant was clear: he had resolutely stood up to the former rulers of the tennis world, colleagues Roger Federer and Rafael, as a troublemaker on the Center Courts. Had penetrated into their sphere of power, into their two-part universe. And even overtook her as the new number one. Djokovic later said that of course it was a motivation to end up with the most Grand Slam titles at the end of his career: "That keeps me fresh, alert and motivated."
In New York, at the US Open, Djokovic could have threatened his eternal rival. Federer (20 titles) and Nadal (19 titles) were absent from the Ghost Grand Slam at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center, one injured, the other cautious in times of the pandemic - but now Djokovic is also out of the tournament business. On Sunday evening, the world's best professional in black and white was excluded from the competition, not because of a corona infection or other ailments. But because he hit a line judge in the larynx when he blacked out on Center Court and was disqualified in the first set of his round of 16 game (against the Spaniard Carreno-Busta). He later apologized and said, "I feel sad and empty."
Djokovic the perfectionist
It was an unbelievable slip, a false hit from a man who is considered the greatest perfectionist in the tennis world. Who has pushed the ambition of getting better in his job to previously unknown dimensions in recent years. “There is nothing with him that is not planned. And what the goal is to get even stronger, ”says Boris Becker, who worked as head coach for the 33-year-old Serb for almost three years. In normal times, Djokovic travels to the big tournaments with several coaches, a physiotherapist and even a personal chef. The Austrian fitness guru Gebhard Gritsch, who is always out and about in Djokovic's companion, once said of the efforts of the "Djoker": "It's crazy what he does."
For years there has been a latent conflict between Djokovic and the old masters Federer and Djokovic in the tennis scene. It was about power and influence, including millions in business in the traveling circus. And it was also about personal vanities, on all sides, not just with Djokovic. Shortly before the US Open, the guerrilla war became public, and there was fighting on the open stage. Djokovic, until then the top representative on the ATP tennis tour players' council, resigned and founded his own interest group in New York in the midst of the corona turmoil. Federer and Nadal were very clear in their reaction: At this time, it is not about division, but about unity.
On the one hand, Djokovic looks like a smooth artifact, for example with his extremely polished statements, for example with his pedantic correctness in nutrition or environmental issues. But his penchant for esoteric quacks, for certain conspiracy theories, for an occasional whisper “against the West” also makes him a controversial figure with idiosyncratic rough edges. In this Corona year it was all particularly noticeable and visible, time and again the front man of the tennis world stumbled upon himself, especially with his degenerate Adriatic tour, during which the pandemic reality was almost denied. Djokovic also spoke out against vaccination opponents and dubious healers, and when it came to choosing some friends, he really had no good instinct.
Father Djokovic railed against Federer
The center court and image battle Djokovic against Federer and Nadal, which always plays a role, was accompanied by shrill sounds from the family circle in 2020. In the summer, Djokovic's father Srdjan rose to tell Federer that he should finally stop at the age of 39 and lead a life without tennis. Djokovic's mother Dijana had previously described the Swiss as "a bit arrogant". She said this about her son in an interview: “He believes in God. And he feels chosen. "
Tennis at the top of the world is a tough business, a collection of first-person shooters, a shark tank. Djokovic liked to present - like Federer and Nadal - a philanthropic streak, as a foundation founder, as a lobbyist for weaker professional colleagues. The general pressure behind the leading role in the multi-million dollar industry, but the personal ambition are part of this big game. Djokovic wanted to win, he wanted to be loved and recognized. Much of his life's work is now in danger. And the question is: what's next in his career after that dark, memorable September 6, 2020?