“It just gives me strength and motivation”

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday January 24, 2023

Doubters be damned, Novak Djokovic says.

The 21-time major champion is tired of having his injuries questioned, and being accused of faking the pain on court.

“I leave the doubting to those people – let them doubt,” he said in Serbian on Monday night, according to Sasa Ozmo of Tennis Majors. “Only my injuries are questioned. When some other players are injured, then they are the victims, but when it is me, I am faking it. It is very interesting… I don’t feel that I need to prove anything to anyone.”

You’d better not suggest that Novak Djokovic is faking. Or the Serb will get (really) angry ! 😡 Reported by @ozmo_sasahttps://t.co/7N6a4EWdGJ

— Tennis Majors (@Tennis_Majors) January 23, 2023

Djokovic who said in english that he was pain-free for the first time in a long time in his fourth-round victory over Alex de Minaur on Monday, looks to be very much on the mend.

“We take it day by day. We do a lot of things actually. It’s been honestly exhausting to be involved in a lot of different treatments and machines and stuff that we do,” he said. “At the same time it was necessary. It is necessary in order to get myself in a condition to play. So I’m really glad that my body has responded really well. Tonight I didn’t feel any pain. I moved as well as I have the whole tournament. It means we are progressing in the right direction.”

As far as the haters go, Djokovic will take that negative energy and use it as motivation.

“I am not really interested at this point what people are thinking and saying,” he said in Serbian. “It is fun, it is interesting to see how the narrative surrounding me continues, narrative that is different compared to other players that have been going through similar situation. But I am used to it, and it just gives me extra strength and motivation. So I thank them for that.”