Novak Djokovic is one of the greatest players of all time in the history of Tennis. And when it comes to playing on Australian soil, no one even comes close to what the Serbian has achieved.
Having won the Australian Open a record 10 times, Novak has had the best success on the Australian hard courts. However, he has also had downs in this format when he was deported from the country over a vaccination dispute.
During the Australian Open in 2022, the Australian court denied Novak Djokovic’s challenge to allow him to participate despite being unvaccinated against COVID-19. He was ruled out from the tournament and the government canceled his visa on “health and good order” grounds. He had to leave the country and go back to his homeland just hours before his opening match.
Novak Djokovic was against vaccination for Covid-19 and was even very vocal about it. He was disappointed by the decision but accepted it and had to miss the tournament.
Recently, during his appearance at the Australian Open 2024, he talked about the incident and explained its effect on his career and mental health. He says that he will forever remember that incident and it will be his only bad year in Australia.
“I’ve enjoyed myself every single year except one year(2022). It’s one of the experiences that I definitely won’t forget. The experiences that have left a… you know a very strong mark in my life.”
-Novak Djokovic
Novak came back even stronger the next year in 2023 and won his 10th Australian Open title by defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas in the finals. However, this year his run fell short after he was defeated by the in-form Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals. Sinner went forward to lift the winner’s trophy after defeating Daniil Medvedev in a 5-set thriller.
Novak Djokovic explains the role of his tough upbringing in shaping his “never give up” mindset
Novak Djokovic is world-famous for his tenacity and tough mindset while playing Tennis. He is seen coming back from worse positions to win the match on multiple occasions.
When enquired about his “never give up” attitude, Novak gave the credit to his tough bringing. He talked about the extremely harsh conditions during his young age in his country.
Serbia has been in two wars for 4 years from 1992-96. During these times, no Serbian athlete was allowed to travel internationally to play tournaments. Novak also talked about the frequent bombings and the terror that surrounded the country.
He talks about the trauma he carries around from that time. He says he still gets triggered by the sounds made by fireworks because that reminds him of the two and a half months of continuous bombing during the war.
However, he also acknowledges the fact that all this has also made him stronger and has contributed to his tough attitude on the court.
“There is definitely some connection to my upbringing. The greed, the resilience, the never-giving-up spirit are a result of it. I was 12 when there was continuous bombing for two and a half months day and night. “
“At times when I hear the sound of fireworks, it reminds me of the bombs exploding. It’s not really super-pleasant but I still have a little bit of trauma.”
Novak is a true example of tenacity and the “never give up” attitude. And he has proved it again and again. Even when he is 36 years old now.
