Novak Djokovic explains the advantages of not playing many tournaments after his Shanghai third round win
Before Shanghai, Novak Djokovic had only played one tournament after winning the Olympic Gold medal in Paris.
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Novak Djokovic (Image via X)
Novak Djokovic has spoken highly about his fresh state of mind in Shanghai, where he is playing for the first time since 2019. The Serb has been enjoying life off the court, especially after achieving his historic Gold medal win at the Paris Olympics.
Djokovic has displayed this relaxed mindset in his first couple of rounds in Shanghai. After his third-round victory against Flavio Cobolli, he explained how his approach to this tournament differs from that of his competitors.
Yes, I feel good. I think the advantage of not playing many tournaments is that you are fresh. I don’t mind playing long matches every day, no matter what. I have recovered well and, as you said, a few days without matches are good for the body. Yes, it may not be ideal, you don’t want to take too long breaks when you are already in the tournament because of the game and the feeling you have in your hands with the racket.
Novak Djokovic in his Shanghai post-match press conference
Djokovic’s preparation for Shanghai contrasts with players like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. The two recently battled in a thrilling final in Beijing, where Alcaraz won in a third-set tiebreak.
In contrast, Djokovic has played only one tournament since his Olympic Gold medal win, the US Open, where he lost to Alexei Popyrin in the third round. The 37-year-old also played a few matches for Serbia in the Davis Cup afterwards.
Novak Djokovic discusses ‘clear gameplan’ against Flavio Cobolli in Shanghai
24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic took another step toward his 100th tour-level title with a dominant win on Tuesday. He defeated Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 6-2 to move into the fourth round of the Rolex Shanghai Masters.
From the beginning I had a clear game plan of what I needed to do, staying aggressive and trying to use every short ball to take the initiative in the point. Cobolli was evidently exhausted after last night’s match [against Stan Wawrinka]. I think that has taken a toll, physically, on him today.
Novak Djokovic in his post-match interview
This match was very different from his opener against #NextGenATP star Alex Michelsen. Djokovic controlled the game from the start, showing his experience and power in their first-ever meeting on the ATP tour.
Making his first appearance at the Shanghai Masters since 2019, Djokovic came out strong, hitting 11 winners in the first set, which lasted just 29 minutes. Cobolli held serve twice at the start of the second set, but Djokovic quickly broke him and maintained control.
Djokovic sealed the victory and kept his chances alive to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin. He is currently eighth in the ATP Live Race, trailing Andrey Rublev by 220 points.
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Fahad Hamid
(644 Articles Published)