Djokovic reveals he couldn't celebrate as he wanted to because of media and doping control

Monday, 30 January 2023 at 18:30

Updated at Tuesday, 14 January 2025 at 22:42

byZachary Wimer

Novak Djokovic didn't celebrate his 2023 Australian Open triumph the way he wanted to because he had media obligations and was subjected to a doping test.

The Serbian defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas to lift his 22nd Grand Slam trophy, but there was very little celebration after that. Cheery person by nature, Djokovic would have liked to celebrate it with his family, who is in Australia, but there were other things he had to do, as he revealed.

"I didn't celebrate the way I wanted. I had obligations to the media and I went to doping control. At three in the morning, I returned to the accommodation. It was a long night, but everything is still amazing to me."

"This is the success of my whole family and team members. It was challenging and we didn't manage to celebrate the way I wanted, but when I return to Europe, we will celebrate, I hope."

A professional through and through, Djokovic will carefully plan out his future, especially when it comes to tennis. He is set to appear in Dubai alongside Rafael Nadal, but both of them have had injury concerns that could keep them out of the event.

"I have to have a scan of my leg, see what happens and depending on that, I will decide if I go to Dubai or not. I am registered for now, but we will see if I will be back on the pitch in a few weeks. Dubai is played in the last week of February, I haven't made a final decision yet."

While he made it look easy on the court, Djokovic had plenty of challenges to overcome during this fortnight. There was doubt, there was fear, anger, and everything in between, but he is grateful for the experience, a positive one, as he said.

"The desire to win the trophy was great. There were a lot of challenges, but in the end, everything turned to be a positive experience. I was afraid about my leg, what would happen, I was worried about how I would be accepted here after last year's events, and then the events with my father... I accepted it all and I'm grateful for everything."