Heat is off all-conquering Djokovic
The pressure valve has been released after Novak Djokovic bagged the last major prize on the men's tour to have eluded him.
A maiden French Open trophy last month at his 12th attempt completed the box set, adding the only Grand Slam title missing from his collection.
It was made even sweeter as it sealed a non-calendar Grand Slam, making him the only man since the great Rod Laver to do so. The All England Club will be first to witness how this achievement affects the Serb’s subsequent Grand Slam quests.
Will the confidence boost and relief at avoiding a fourth French Open final loss in five years open the floodgates on his career tally? Or will the 29-year-old’s motivation take a momentary dip after completing the last major piece in his puzzle?
“Even though I've been very blessed to achieve this childhood dream and win this tournament three times, I still feel that kind of excitement as if I'm coming in for the first time,” Djokovic said.
“Of course, the situation this year is quite different from previous years because I'm coming in with a Roland Garros title for the first time. That gives me, obviously, a lot of confidence prior to this event.”
Djokovic’s routine of playing no lead-up grass court events has worked out pretty well in the past. He has landed three of the past six Wimbledon titles and reached the semi-finals or better every time.
“Now, at least, you have a week between [the French Open and Wimbledon] where that gives you a bit more time to rest, adjust to the grass courts, and eventually play a lead‑up event,” Djokovic said.
“I decided not to because winning Roland Garros was obviously one of the most memorable and beautiful moments of my career. Also it took a lot out of me. I thought that it's more important for me to just rejuvenate and rest a little bit from tennis and then come back preparing for Wimbledon.”
Playing the first match on Centre Court on Monday, he will meet a fellow 29-year-old, Brit James Ward. While the Londoner will ride the wave of home support, the chasm in the pair’s record this year cannot be ignored.
“Even though I've been very blessed to achieve this childhood dream and win this tournament three times, I still feel that kind of excitement as if I'm coming in for the first time
Djokovic’s season already stands at an impressive 44-3 mark, with six titles, including the Australian and French Opens and the Indian Wells and Miami Masters. Ward is ranked No.177 in the world with a 0-1 record in 2016.
“Every time you face an opponent for the first time, it's always important to start off well and not allow your opponent to take his chances and opportunities,” Djokovic said. “It's going to be the first match on the untouched grass. That's probably one of the most special tennis matches that you get to experience as a professional tennis player.
“I'm looking forward to that. Obviously I know that he doesn't have much to lose. The Centre Court is one of the cradles of our sport, will be hopefully packed, and we can enjoy a great match.”
Should the Serb defend his Wimbledon and US Open crowns, he would become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to complete the calendar Grand Slam. The added sweetener would be a Golden Grand Slam, should he add Olympic gold in Rio de Janeiro.
No man before has achieved the feat and the pursuit of new records brings added pressures. “Pressure is part of what we do. It's inevitable to face this kind of sensation as a top player, being expected to do well,” Djokovic said. “But the more you get to face these kind of pressures and emotions, the more you get used to them - the better you are at coping with it and handling it.”
If Djokovic doesn’t sense the pressure rising again, that is a scary proposition for his opponents.
