Novak Djokovic Reveals His Biggest Motivation for Playing Tennis Ahead of Australian Open 2021

Serbian World No.1 Novak Djokovic will begin his 19 season on Tour on Tuesday, February 2. As the defending champion, he will face Canadian Denis Shapovalov in the ATP Cup 2021’s tournament opener match.

Leading up to the match, the 33-year-old revealed his biggest driving force to carry on with his tennis career. Presently, he is the record-equal six-time year-end Number 1 player, and the only player to win all Masters 1000 tournaments. While nobody has achieved such a triumph once, Novak has done it twice.

So what motivates him still, even after winning everything there is to win in tennis? Djokovic answered the burning question when a reporter asked his thoughts on the return of fans in the crowd.

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Novak Djokovic feels very strange looking at empty stands

Most players on the tennis tour have admitted their struggles of playing amid the pandemic outbreak. With stringent restrictions and mandatory quarantines, everything affected their results. But above all, it was the absence of fans in the stands that mattered the most.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion, Novak Djokovic, unhesitatingly claimed that fans are his biggest driving force, motivators, and inspiration. He believes that every match is also a give and take between the athlete and the fans.

“Playing in front of the crowds and feeding of that energy and exchanging the great passion we have for the sport. It just feels very strange to play with no one on the stands,” Novak said.

Furthermore, he even mentioned that last season was difficult because of their absence. However, their absence will not be felt this year as Melbourne Park will welcome a portion of fans for the Australian Summer events.

Read More: Australian Open 2021 to Host a Massive Audience Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Djokovic to defend ATP Cup and Australian Open 2021

Fans absolutely love the Serbian ace. They even came to catch a glimpse of him at his hotel during his quarantine and made many memorable moments. And with Djokovic’s surprise appearance at the Adelaide exhibition, the fans; joy confirmed just how much they love to see him play.

The record 8-time Australian champion feels likewise. He will defend the ATP Cup and the Australian Open 2021 title this year, and the fans in the stands might just play a vital role in him doing so. For starters, Djokovic will battle Denis Shapovalov and Alexander Zverev to fix a place in the semifinals of the ATP Cup.

Can we successfully win both the titles again this year?

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