LONDON, England.– Serbian Novak Djokovic stated that he feels physically and mentally fresher at Wimbledon than he did during his participation in Roland Garros, after advancing to the next round of the season’s third Grand Slam following his victory over Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech.
With this victory, Djokovic equaled the Swiss Roger Federer as the tennis player with the most wins in the Wimbledon men’s draw and continues firm in his goal of conquering an eighth title on the London grass.
“I feel fresher, with more energy now after three matches than when I had played the same amount in Paris. It makes sense because the surfaces are different and the effort is too,” explained the winner of 24 Grand Slam titles.
The veteran tennis player acknowledged that, although the physical toll will increase as the tournament progresses, he currently feels in good condition.
“Even so, I will be less loose as the tournament progresses, but I feel good. Physically I am responding and my body is reacting as I expected,” he noted.
Djokovic also downplayed the discomfort he experienced in his right thigh during the match.
“It’s nothing serious. At times the muscle seized up and I was just trying to activate it. For now, I am physically fine,” he assured.
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The Serbian also highlighted the role his children play as a constant source of motivation during the competition.
“When I won, I saw them in the stands. I hear them supporting me and that makes me very happy. The night before, I spoke with my daughter and she taught me some dances that I tried to do on the court, although I don’t think they turned out very well,” he commented with a laugh.
Djokovic explained that he enjoys interacting with the public and with his family during matches.
“I try to make my children happy and also entertain people. I have always liked that connection with the fans, although there are matches where you just want to focus on the tennis,” he expressed.
Finally, he assessed the difficulty of the match against Rinderknech, an opponent he faced for the first time.
“I knew it would be a great test. I didn’t find the same rhythm as in the previous match, but it was a very demanding duel and I am relieved to have secured the victory,” concluded the current world number seven.
