Djoko kisses his glory days goodbye

Novak Djokovic has admitted he is lacking the iron will to strive any longer for a return to the No. 1 ranking, with the Serb who turns 38 in May seeming satisfied with maintaining his place in the ATP top 10 mix.

The 24-time Grand Slam winner has advanced without fanfare so far at the Miami Masters, reaching the fourth round to next play Italian Lorenzo Musetti.

But the fire seems to have gone out of the once-dominant Djokovic game.

“(Returning to No. 1) doesn’t matter as much,” the current No. 5 confessed.

“If it comes as a consequence of great results and titles that I win in a season, then that’s amazing. But that’s not my objective. My objective is to be able to play my best tennis at the Grand Slams and the tournaments where I participate.”

Djokovic added: “I’m not chasing the ranking points  – it’s different nowadays maybe than for most of my career to be honest.

“I’m happy to win a Grand Slam and big tournaments rather than getting to No. 1. Right now that’s more important for me.”

Djokovic could not help but look back to his prime, when he battled as a member of the ATP big 4 along with Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and – on occasion – Andy Murray.

“There was more in terms of objectives. It’s less now, less of that stress and pressure for me to say that all of a sudden I feel I have to play the next week because this week I didn’t generate enough points or didn’t have enough matches. 

“I don’t have that. Now it’s really playing what I want to play, what I enjoy playing, and trying to make the most out of it.”

Main photo:- Novak Djokovic into fourth round in Miami – by ATPTour.com