Despite relishing in what has been a successful season so far Novak Djokovic admits he has a ‘little regret’ when it comes to his performances at two premier events.
The world No.1 heads the ATP Tour this season with a near perfect win-loss record of 37-2 along with four titles. However, his two defeats occurred at Grand Slams in very different circumstances. At the US Open Djokovic was the overwhelming favourite to win until he got disqualified from the fourth round after accidentally striking a lines judge with a ball. A month on from that misfortune, he was comprehensively beaten in the final of the French Open by nemesis Rafael Nadal.
“There is a little regret because I have not won a trophy in New York or Paris since I have been in extraordinary form for both. At the French Open I have had a much better opponent in the finals and I was not at my level. In New York there was this unfortunate incident, but I have won both Cincinnati and Rome,” journalist Sasa Ozmo quoted Djokovic as saying in Serbian.
“If we don’t count the default, I have lost only one match this year, so I am free to say that I am maybe playing the tennis of my life. The season is what it is, with the break and everything, but I have won a lot of matches, so I can compare this year with 2011 and 2015.’
Amid his blips the 17-time Grand Slam winner believes he is still potentially playing the ‘tennis of his life.’ Speaking to reporters in Belgrade following a practice session on Thursday, Djokovic made clear his primary objective for the rest of the year.
“(The) Goals are clear – I want to end the year as No 1 and I want to have as big an advantage as possible for the first three months of 2021, which would allow me the historic No 1, one of the two biggest goals in my career.”
Djokovic is highly likely to secure the year-end No.1 ranking for a record-equalling sixth time. The only scenario that would prevent him from achieving this would be if Nadal wins both Paris and London. Furthermore, Djokovic would have to lose before the semi-finals in Vienna and all of his matches in London.
On calls to replace lines judges
As one of the Tour’s principal figures the 33-year-old raised eyebrows in Paris earlier this month when he suggested that it was time to replace the sports tradition of lines judges with a technology. This year’s US Open used Hawk-Eye Live for the first time which is an automatic calling system instead of humans. Ironically it was a mishap with a lines judge, who were still used on the two principle courts, that got Djokovic booted out of the New York major. Although he insists that his view has nothing to do with the incident.
“I have received a lot of criticism because I have said that we should take into consideration excluding the line umpires. That is an opinion I have had for several years now, it did not have anything to do with me being disqualified at the US Open,” Djokovic explains.
“We have seen that technology in New York for the first time and it went smoothly, there was no room for human error. I am not a person who adores technology and cannot live without it, in some regards technocratic society has gone too far in my opinion, but if we in tennis can be more efficient and precise, why not?’
“For people who volunteer as line umpires we would find other roles within the organisation of tournaments. In this particular matter I think that we should use technology.”
It is unclear as to what other roles the judges could take on in such a scenario. Furthermore, those individuals who work at Grand Slams are only able to after obtaining specific qualifications and they are paid usually based on experience. In 2018 CNBC reported that 850 umpires applied to work at the US Open that year but only 350 were successful.
The Djokovic Open?
Besides his current activities in the sport, Djokovic has also shed light on his future ambitions which includes getting his country back on the map. Bringing up his hopes of an ATP Tournament being held in Belgrade once again. The Serbia Open was a 250 event on the calendar between 2009-2012 before being replaced.
Djokovic has told reporters that he will personally request for such an event to be held with his argument being the interest generated by the Adria Tour. An exhibition series he co-founded that ended early after an outbreak of COVID-19 among players and coaches. The event was criticised by many over the protocols used during a pandemic with players attending parties and a lack of social distancing at times.
“I hope that we will be able to organize a return of a professional tournament to Serbia. Although the Adria Tour ended as it did, and was followed with a negative story, for me it showed why Serbia and Belgrade deserve to have a professional tournament. I will personally ask that we bring a professional tournament to Belgrade,” Djokovic pledges.
“Everyone who comes from here and who came from Serbian tennis is in a situation where they have to go around the world in order to play. We all have to consolidate, to unite to find a solution together, for all cities in Serbia to compete to bring in a tournament.” He added.
Djokovic is set to play two more tournaments this year with the first being at next week’s Vienna Open. After that he will head to London for the prestigious ATP Finals.
