Novak Djokovic created a lot of history in his career but none of that was as iconic as the one that happened on Sunday.
Being the first to do something in the year 2023 is pretty tough because there were plenty of years for somebody to do that. Still, Djokovic did just that by becoming the first male player to ever win 23 grand slam trophies after his triumph at the 2023 Roland Garros.
It's a major thing because nobody ever did it and when Sampras won 14, that seemed quite unreachable and here we are at almost ten more. It's not something that comes easy as it requires a lot of sacrifice from a lot of people.
From the players to the team, there needs to be complete harmony in working towards a single goal. Yet that's not possible most of the time. Djokovic admitted as he much during his post-match speech thanking his team for sticking by him.
Maybe we will go into more detail in a book, mine or Goran’s. I am extremely tiring during Grand Slams, I can be a handful – my team knows it, my wife knows it, my parents know it. They all know that sometimes they need to get out of my way, I radiate this energy that says ‘I want to have time for myself’.
It's not so much different with most players as everything gets amplified during grand slam events. The stakes are higher, the players want it more so naturally the pressure to succeed is bigger. Every aspect of tennis life just becomes more amplified, especially when you're as motivated as Djokovic. He shared some of those emotions that permeate through his team during grand slams.
I am nervous on the court, demanding off the court. I know myself well and I know what it takes to win one of these trophies, so I expect others to give the maximum of their abilities, for them to stay focused on this mission. That’s why it’s not easy. If it were easy, everybody would do it.
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