Novak Djokovic delivered yet another stellar performance in Melbourne on Saturday, advancing to the round of 16 in his quest for a record-extending 11th Australian Open title. The 38-year-old defeated Botic van de Zandschulp 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(4) in two hours and 44 minutes at Rod Laver Arena.
After the match, Jim Courier approached Djokovic for the customary on-court interview, during which the Serb reflected on various aspects of the game. Courier then asked him if he had the chance to meet teenage sensation Iva Jovic, who had previously expressed her desire to speak with the 24-time Grand Slam champion, as she idolized him.
“Yes, I got to know Iva. Last year, for the first time, I mean, she’s so young. She’s only, I think, 17 or 18, and she’s already making great strides in the rankings and some great results. She’s in the last 16. So we ran into each other yesterday in the press area and got to share some of my observations of her game,” Djokovic said.
“And yeah, I guess that stays between us. I saw that she did give away in her press conference what I told her. That’s fine. It’s up to her if she wants to share. Obviously, I really like her. She’s a great girl and a really nice family,” he added.
“And obviously, I feel more emotionally connected to her because of her Serbian background. So I try even more. And she has definitely all the tools to be the future champion, the future number one. So that’s exactly what I wish for her,” Djokovic concluded.
Jovic is due to play her fourth-round match against Yulia Putintseva at the John Cain Arena on Sunday.
Novak Djokovic Has Some Words of Wisdom For the Young Generation
Drawing parallels with what Djokovic would have advised his younger self, he began by saying that patience is key in anything that you do. Trusting the process, believing in yourself, and having the right people around you have a positive impact on any young player on their journey towards success.
In his on-court interview, he said:
“I think I would say patience is a big one. When we are younger, regardless of the area of life that we’re involved in, I think we want everything here and now today. So I think just having a little bit of patience and trust in the process, surrounding yourself with the right people, I think that’s a big one, because we are an individual sport. So that’s one of the biggest keys, I think, early on in the career of the young tennis player.”
“You gotta also not only trust and just blindly follow everything that is said to you, but build your character so that you understand what kind of people you want around yourself. And people that obviously have great experience and knowledge, but most of all those who have a trust in you and who can, on a personal, on a private level, connect well with you,” he added.
“So I think there has to be good chemistry, there has to be a good atmosphere out of which you can extract good vibes and good energy that can serve you for your great performance,” Djokovic concluded.
The Serb will be back in action when he takes on Czech star Jakub Mensik in the round of 16 at Rod Laver Arena on Monday.
Also read:
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