Djokovic on his return to the courts: "You might think I'm jaded, but I'm not".

Adrien Guyot

le 18/02/2025 à 11h20

2 min to read

Djokovic Doha

Novak Djokovic is already ready to get back to tournament action. After suffering a hamstring injury in his Australian Open semi-final against Alexander Zverev, which forced him to retire after losing the first set, the Serb, who was expected to be out of action for several months, has recovered faster than expected and will be present at the ATP 500 tournament in Doha this week.

Ahead of his opener against Matteo Berrettini, Djokovic opened up about his return to competition, which is eagerly awaited by all his fans.

"I've been concentrating mainly on my recovery. Everything went well and I was able to resume tennis 10 days ago. I've been looking after myself physically, spending time with my family in my country. I'm feeling ready.

I'm delighted to be back in Doha, which really deserved to move up into the ATP 500 category. Now I'm up against Matteo Berrettini, and it's not the best draw. We haven't played each other since 2021, but he's still a powerful player.

It's going to be a match where you have to be good straight away, and I like that. In any case, I really feel 100%. I love the thrill of competition.

I love making history in this sport. I still want to win, I love being on a court. You might think I'm jaded, but I'm not.

Before a match, my stomach always cramps. I'm stressed, nervous, excited. But that's a good sign, because it means I'm still concerned about everything.

To walk out onto a big court and feel the crowd behind you, there's nothing like it," he explained, according to L'Équipe.