With a new coaching set-up and fresh from his title win in Eastbourne just days before The Championships, three-time Wimbledon winner Novak Djokovic returns to the All England Club in tune with his new attitude to the sport.
It has been a confounding 12 months since Djokovic’s last appearance at The Championships. When the Serbian lost to Sam Querrey in the third round in 2016, he was world No.1 and in possession of all four Grand Slam titles, the first man to achieve the feat since Rod Laver in 1969. A year on, his ranking has slipped to No.4 in the world – its lowest spot since 2009 – while he remains tied with Australian Roy Emerson on 12 majors.
Djokovic has admitted to struggling for renewed motivation after fulfilling a lifelong dream by winning the French Open last year, and his search for fresh impetus has extended beyond mere wins and losses.
“I used to base all my happiness on winning a tennis match,” Djokovic said. “I think many athletes today are doing that. So I try not to do that any more – it’s not like I don't care about winning and losing a tennis match, absolutely not. Of course, I would love to win every single tennis match I play in, but I don't try to take that as the very essential moment in my life which determines my happiness.
“It's a different approach, but I'm still here and I'm still motivated, I still keep on going. I'm still glad to kind of experience whatever professional tennis career has for me.”
The fresh approach is starting to fall into place. Djokovic’s decision to accept a late wild card at the Aegon International sparked a run to his second title of the season, defeating Gael Monfils in Saturday’s final.
It is unusual to see Grand Slam contenders competing the week before a major – the last man to win a title a week before winning a slam was 1998 US Open champion Pat Rafter – but the 30-year-old believes he made the right call by heading to the south coast.
“I felt like this time I needed a proper tournament rather than just playing couple of exhibition matches,” Djokovic explained. “I'm glad I've made that decision, and that I went to Eastbourne, because it was a very positive experience on and off the court as well. People were very kind. It was a great week with a lot of good, positive energy. A lot of time spent on the practice courts, four quality matches. Just overall very happy with the way it went, and where my form is at.”
The No.2 seed said Croatian former world No.7 Mario Ancic was “top of the list” when it came to finding someone to join Andre Agassi in his coaching team at Wimbledon, as he continues to rebuild his support team following the departures of Boris Becker at the end of 2016, and long-time coach Marian Vajda in May.
Ancic, a semi-finalist at The Championships in 2004, was forced to retire from the sport in 2011 after battling a series of injuries and complications from mononucleosis. The 33-year-old earned a law degree from Columbia University before starting a career as an investment banker in New York, but what his new arrangement with Djokovic means for his day job remains to be seen.
“You're going to have to ask him,” joked Djokovic.
“He's someone that I've known for so many years. And we're friends. He was one of the players on the tour that I've had the closest relationship with, even during the active career. It's not easy, obviously, because he was a top-10 player. We were competitors and rivals. But we always had a tremendous respect and support towards each other. We spend a lot of time off the court, speak the same language. Things were very easy for us in terms of communication.”
Djokovic opens against left-handed Slovakian Martin Klizan, the world No.44, with a potential third-round showdown with Juan Martin del Potro and seven-time champion Roger Federer among the likely candidates to await in the semi-finals. But whatever should happen over the following fortnight – and Djokovic has every intention of claiming a fourth Wimbledon crown – he enters the tournament at peace.
“Sport is one of the kind of fields of life where there are many character features and virtues that are presented to people in the best possible way,” Djokovic said.
“That's why people relate to athletes and what they do – because of the sacrifice, because of the fight, because there is no way around it. Basically you have to earn the respect and earn the trophies and success by yourself, especially in tennis.
“But it seems to me that, especially nowadays, everything is observed through the lens of material success: who lifts more trophies gets more respect, more fame, more money, and a better status in the society.
“It's hard in this kind of set of values, to go through that kind of process. But for me, it's equally important, even more important, to take care of myself as a human being.”
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