Djokovic: "My friends and family support me so that I can continue".

Novak Djokovic's debut in Shanghai was a painful one.

Against Alex Michelsen, he didn't always seem at ease and won after two hard-fought sets (7-6, 7-6).

Asked in the press conference about his motivation to keep going and his relationship with his family, Djokovic explained: "I miss my family when I'm away, but at the same time, I love tennis, I really do, and my loved ones support me to keep going.

So, yes, it's a constant challenge, to really, I guess, embrace the present and evolve, grow and learn from the experiences you get to live every day.

I've been very lucky in my life to experience all that I've experienced, to have all these successes. And I'm very grateful to God for giving me this opportunity.

So I try to remind myself sometimes, when I'm going through difficult times, like everyone else, that I have difficult days, but that it's important to remember what's most important: connections, relationships with people.

I want to try to be the best version I can be every day. I think that's kind of the formula."