Novak Djokovic insists he still has the motivation to get even better as he closes in on Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer on the all-time Grand Slam list. Djokovic is back in action this week at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
He comes in as the strong favourite, especially with Roger Federer pulling out after undergoing knee surgery.
It is the first time the Serbian is playing since winning the Australian Open in a tense final against Dominic Thiem.
In doing so, the 32-year-old regained his No 1 spot on top of the rankings and closed in on the Grand Slam haul of his biggest rivals.
Djokovic now sits on 17 major wins, two behind Nadal and three behind Federer’s all-time tally of 20.
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Being the younger of the legendary trio, Djokovic has time on his side.
But he also remains as motivated as ever to keep getting better and improving in an ominous warning to his closest challengers.
“There is room for improvement and that’s my biggest motivation at the moment.” Djokovic said.
“That’s probably one of the biggest reasons why I keep on playing this sport and why I put a lot of effort and dedication every single day.
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“I feel that tennis is a great place for me to improve, not just in tennis but also as a human being to build my character.
“Tennis, like no other place in life, triggers my emotions.
“It’s a great way for me to understand myself on deeper levels.
“I see tennis as a great school of life in a way. I also enjoy it. I really love to hold the racket.
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“I enjoy the process, I enjoy the journey. I have a great team of people around me that puts a lot of energy and faith in me, in my game.
“Together, we create beautiful things on the court and I’m grateful for that.”
Federer is expected to be out of action until the Halle Open in the summer, meaning he will be out of the French Open.
Nadal meanwhile is back this week as he takes on the field at the Acapulco Open in Mexico.
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