A part of me went away with him," Djokovic explains about Nadal's retirement
Novak Djokovic, who won his 100th career title yesterday in Geneva, attended the tribute ceremony for Rafael Nadal held this Sunday.
The Serb, accompanied by Roger Federer and Andy Murray, took the time to exchange a few words with one of the greatest rivals of his legendary career. In a press conference, he admitted that Nadal's retirement had an impact on his motivation:
"After his retirement, it was very complicated for me to keep the motivation and play. I didn't think it would affect me so much. But a part of me went away with him. It was a real challenge for me to find joy on the court and the strength to continue playing.
When Rafa said goodbye to tennis, I felt something I had never experienced before. I asked myself, 'What do I do now?'
On the court, I felt discouraged, but fortunately, I found other sources of motivation. After six months, I can acknowledge that I feel much better.
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