Addressing the media in Turin ahead of the season ending ATP Finals Novak Djokovic announced “I needed that break to rejuvenate and get ready for a strong finish to the season,”
The Serb is looking forward to a first victory at the Finals since 2015, and he’s feeling fully charged coming off the back of last week’s Paris Masters win.
The World No. 1 has been in good form this season, despite failing to wrap up the elusive season Grand Slam when losing to Daniil Medvedev in New York in September.
Winning the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon bought him level with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer with 20 Grand Slam titles.
Speaking to reporters he added “I haven’t played so much as previous years in terms of the amount of tournaments, but I did have a lot of exhausting events that I played, particularly in the Grand Slams.
When I say exhausting, I don’t just mean physically but mentally and emotionally. It was unlike any other year that I’ve had so far because of the pressure of achievement and the potential of history making. It took a lot out of me.
When interrogated on his lack of success in this competition in recent years, he replied: “Playing at the highest level against the top eight players in the world every single match is really high intensity and high demand that you have to be at your best. It requires a lot of energy to try for this tournament.”
Djokovic has been drawn in the ‘Green Group’ – alongside Stefanos Tsitsipas, Casper Ruud and Andrey Rublev – and begins his title quest on Monday, November 15th against the Norwegian Casper Ruud.
