With 24 Grand Slam titles and still going strong, Novak Djokovic is arguably the best player the world has seen. Although he has matched and even surpassed their greatest achievements he isn’t as popular as the other members of the big three. But what he has is ‘mental toughness’ and the ability to ‘manage when you’re not at your best’ as Brad Gilbert said it.

Novak Djokovic’s continued success at the age of 36 is a testament to his exceptional talent and dedication to the sport. In a recent podcast, Gilbert, one of the best coaching minds in the world reveals why the Djoker is a cut above the rest.

“the difference between being good and being great” – Brad Gilbert expresses his opinion about Novak Djokovic

In the latest episode of Served With Andy Roddick Coco Gauff‘s coach, Brad Gilbert reveals what separates Djokovic from the rest. He says, “How often have you seen Joker? You know what, he’s not at his highest level, but he’s still uncertain. And all of a sudden, if you have a dip, he can bite you in the ass, you know, in a legend minutes. That to me is the difference between being good and being great.”

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“How do you manage when you’re not at your best? So how do you take advantage quickly?” He adds, emphasizing the importance of managing your game when you feel out of form or are under pressure. Perhaps, this is what defines championship mentality.

He has time and again mental strength and how it is important to not lose focus, something which even Gilbert has written a book about. His Book, “Winning Ugly” encapsulates how to play the game with your brain. Naturally, it isn’t a surprise that he lauds the Serb’s mental toughness.

But how does Djokvic define mental toughness and what according to him is a champion mentality? He has answered it all in his book, “Serve To Win”.

“I do it for about 15 minutes” – Novak Djokovic explains how being mindful has been a strong pillar of his success

Djokovic is dubbed the best returner in tennis history and he has superb technical skills. He has also worked on his diet and fitness, which are crucial for a prolonged sports career. He has also worked with experts to develop mindfulness through constant mental training. In his book, Djokovic has said, “I do it for about 15 minutes and it is as important to me as my physical training.”

Djokovic goes on to say, “I’ve done so much mindfulness that my brain functions better now automatically … I used to freeze up whenever I made a mistake. Now when I blow a serve or shank a backhand, I still get those flashes of self-doubt, but I know how to handle them.”

Resilience is the ability to adapt after adversity. In tennis, this adversity may come in the shape of losing a set or having an injury. Djokovic learned resilience through playing against Roger Federer, Rafale Nadal, and Andy Murray. He would analyze what worked mentally, physically, and tactically to further work on himself. However, Acceptance too is an important part of mental resilience.

Djokovic revealed while talking to ESPN, “I stopped thinking too much about what could happen and relied on my physical and mental strength to play the right shots at the right time.” And being able to do this over the years is what sets Novak Djokovic apart.

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