‘I Really Felt Sad That Daniil Was Experiencing Those Kind of Emotions’ – Novak Djokovic

The Australian Open 2022 had it all. From the visa controversy surrounding Novak Djokovic to Rafael Nadal’s historic feat, it was an eventful start to the new season of tennis. On the final day of the opening Grand Slam of the season, the Spaniard defeated World Number 2, Daniil Medvedev, in a five-setter thriller.

It was one of the most memorable matches in the tournament’s history. Medvedev made a blazing start in the final, taking a two-set lead against Nadal. However, Nadal displayed his fighting spirit to win the next three sets to win his 21st Grand Slam title.

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The Russian was seemingly unhappy with the crowd. Subsequently, he expressed his disappointment and even said that it made his inner child stop dreaming. Recently, Novak Djokovic has opened up on Medvedev’s feelings during the Australian Open final.

Novak Djokovic backs Daniil Medvedev’s claims

The Serb is in Dubai to take part in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. After his first-round victory, Djokovic was asked to comment on Medvedev’s remarks after the Australian Open final and whether he had experienced something similar.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion said, “I relate to that. We texted after the match. I really felt sad that Daniil was experiencing those kind of emotions. Because the inner kid is the reason why we are playing tennis. At least in my case, and I think in his case.”

Further, he added, “Most of the players pick up the racquet when they are young because they fell in love with the sport. Losing and being two sets to love up in the finals is a tough one to swallow. I’ve been in those shoes before and I understand how he feels.”

“I had many matches where I had the crowd on my side and many where the crowd was against me. This is part of sport and you cannot always expect to have the support behind you. Sometimes, you just wish things to be different. I wish him all the best.”

Speaking about Medvedev, who can dethrone him from the top spot in the ATP rankings. Djokovic said that he is a great champion and very consistent. The Serbian also believes that he will soon be World No. 1. However, he felt sorry for him after his comments but understood where he was coming from.

Djokovic at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships

The 20-time Grand Slam champion opens his 2022 campaign in Dubai at the ATP 500 tournament. He is seeded first and a strong favorite to lift his sixth title here. In the opening round, he defeated wild-card Lorenzo Musetti of Italy in straight sets 6-3, 6-3.

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Further, in the second round, he will face the winner of Karen Khachanov vs. Alex de Minaur’s match. Can Djokovic prove his critics wrong and make a strong comeback in Dubai? Let us know your views in the comments below.