Novak Djokovic’s mother Dijana recalls how Nole felt ‘betrayed by himself’ after being forced to make a career-changing decision

Djokovic has had only one operation in his career back in 2018 for his elbow injury.

Novak Djokovic’s mother Dijana recalls how Nole felt ‘betrayed by himself’ after being forced to make a career-changing decision

Dijana Djokovic (L), Novak Djokovic (R) (Sources: Heavy.com/Yahoo Sport Australia)

Novak Djokovic is hands-down the most decorated and successful player in the history of men’s tennis. By the age of 36, most players retire or at least start considering it. The Serb, however, is just getting started, and he won three Grand Slam titles in 2023 as well, ending the season as the World No. 1.

Djokovic is extremely conscious of his fitness and he has been injury-free for almost the entirety of his career, which is one of the biggest reasons for his success. However, he underwent one surgery back in 2018 and his mother, Dijana, recently revealed how big of an impact it had on him. 

Dijana revealed that her son has never really been a supporter of classical medicine and is always looking for new knowledge. He prefers alternate methods of medicine, nutrition, and therapies, and his stand against the COVID-19 vaccine was rooted in this very belief. However, he had to undergo an elbow injury back in 2018, following which the Serb was extremely disappointed in himself.

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According to the Serb, he had betrayed himself and his ideals. Explaining what happened after the surgery, Dijana said, 

When he woke up from anesthesia, he told me that he betrayed himself. I explained to him that he did what he had to do, and that it was necessary if he wanted to continue playing.
Dijana Djokovic during a guest appearance on the show “While Angels Sleep” (H/T: Kurir)

In fact, the Serb went through the darkest time in his career after the surgery, as he was mentally in a bad place. After his comeback, he lost three consecutive matches in straight sets and was on the verge of retiring from the sport as a whole. Fortunately, his wife, Jelena Djokovic, and his family convinced Djokovic to make a comeback, and the rest is history. 

Novak Djokovic hopes he never has to see a surgeon again in his life

Talking about his elbow injury, Djokovic had said that he tried many things to heal it but in vain. He finally decided to have an operation when nothing worked. He has not had many injuries in his life, which shows the Serb that he does the right thing overall. In the case of his elbow, though, he regrets not giving it enough time to recover and taking anti-inflammatory drugs. 

Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic (Source: novakdjokovic.com)
I got to the point where my body was saying, 'Okay, no more attempts. You can't even serve.' And I went to one of the best surgeons in the world. He did a great job and I'm very grateful for that. I don't like surgeons. I hope I never see them again in my life and I do everything to make it so.
Djokovic told the French newspaper Lequip

The Serb added that, as an athlete, his body is his biggest tool and he has to take good care of it. Thankfully, he has been able to recover from tough matches quickly throughout his career, which has added to its longevity. 

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