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Jan/20

26

Novak Djokovic: The Hero Beyond Tennis

By Jayita A Belcourt

With 16 Grand Slam Titles and 77 ATP Singles Titles to his name, Novak Djokovic has a lot to be proud of inside the realms of tennis. Known for his steely resolve, fiery personality and never say die attitude on the court, the world number 2 has carved himself as tough competitor dedicated to winning and banking results. Yet underneath his tough exterior, is a man less known to the public eye.

Passionate about helping others and the globe, the Serbian is committed to making the world a better place. His charity, the Novak Djokovic Foundation, aims to help disadvantaged children with access to quality education. His foundation claims “we are giving them [children] a chance to flourish. To know the joy of success.” But his efforts go beyond that. Following the recent devastating bushfires in Australia, Djokovic has been an integral part of the Tennis Community’s response – taking part in the ‘Rally for Relief’ exhibition night alongside the likes of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal to help raise over $5M for bushfire victims, gifting $25K to match Maria Sharapova’s donation, and helping to instigate the ATP’s generous donation of $750K to assist wildlife rescue and rehabilitation.

Sure, you might say, anyone who is anyone in the tennis world has setup a foundation or has been doing things like that. Just look at Aussie’s ‘bad boy’ Nick Kyrios. But what you might not know is that Djokovic is also inspired to radically shift the mindsets of people – to improve their health and help the planet.

In 2018, Djokovic co-produced a movie called “The Game Changers” in conjunction with Hollywood heavy weights that included Arnold Schwarzenegger, award winning film director James Cameron and Formula 1 Champion Lewis Hamilton. The movie explores the benefits of a plant-based diet and challenges the notion that meat is the predominant diet that mother nature intended. When probed of his involvement and intention behind the movie, Djokovic said “I think it was important to have one movie with global success that would talk about the plant-based diet which I am representing, in a way, and I am fond of.”

No stranger to adversity, Djokovic was quick to highlight that a shift in diet has not necessarily been simple, but believes it is essential given the mounting strains on our precious natural world.

“I’m very pleased to be planted-based and play on this level now for four-and-a-half years. There has been a lot of criticism also. You know, people around me didn’t really think that I could do that. There is a lot of question marks,” the 33-year old revealed after his Round 3 dominating performance at the Australian Open this week. 

“I have been through different phases of kind of adapting to that new lifestyle, because it is a lifestyle more than a diet. Because you have ethical reasons, as well, being conscious of what is happening in the animal world and, you know, the slaughtering of animals and farming and everything. There is obviously a huge impact on climate change that maybe people don’t talk about as much.”

Djokovic was quick to bring the discussion back to how the plant-based diet has aided his game and hopes that his success, both on and off the court, serves to catapult a new revolution in sports.

“It’s more of a performance reason for me. It’s a lifestyle. It’s approach. It’s something that I’m really proud of, and hopefully that community grows even more. Hopefully I can inspire other athletes that it is possible to be plant-based and to recover well, to have strength, to have muscles. I’m not a weightlifter, of course, but I do have an optimal balance between the strength and power and speed. And, you know, nothing seems to be missing, at least from my experience. So I will keep on enjoying that,” said Djokovic.

Yes, the positive emotions continue to flourish for the Serb. Energized by Serbia’s recent win at the inaugural ATP Cup and “inspired” by the recent addition of new coach and tennis legend Goran Ivanisevic to his camp, it is evident the 7-time Australian Open Champion is in ominous form and bright spirits as he blitzes his way through the tournament dropping only one set to date.

So, can he continue his dream run and secure an 8th Australian title to supercharge the year? Up next, he will face world number 32 Milos Raonic in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.

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54 comments

  • Scoop Malinowski · January 26, 2020 at 9:29 am

    Nadal and Federer were and are so very very impressive but Djokovic does it all just a little bit better. Huge respect for them all but Djokovic is tops in my book.

  • Jeff · January 27, 2020 at 2:02 am

    I just read the NY Times story on Djokovic. Turns out Ivanisevic told him to dump Shaughnessy because he didn’t want Novak to rely on the numbers so now we know why that happened.

  • Scoop Malinowski · January 27, 2020 at 8:41 am

    Big story on oshannessy in Tennis Magazine this month. Maybe he’s getting too big for his britches. And getting too much credit for novaks success.

  • Jeff · January 28, 2020 at 1:06 am

    Sandgren is simply blowing Fed off the court, up 2 sets to 1. What a story for the United States. Could he be the hero the country needs in the wake of the Kobe Bryant tragedy?

  • Michael in UK · January 28, 2020 at 12:24 pm

    Novak beats Milos in straight sets.
    Roger saves seven match points and goes on to beat Sandgren.
    Who will win the men’s final, I am interested in your views.

  • Michael In UK · January 28, 2020 at 12:33 pm

    …I am also interested of course in views on who will win the women’s final.

    Related. language. Many players now seem to refer to the final as “the finals”. My pet theory is that Rafa Nadal was probably the first to do this, with his let’s say limited command of English. And somehow the term caught on and spread.

  • Hartt · January 28, 2020 at 1:16 pm

    Michael, I can’t see anyone beating Novak, especially on these relatively slow courts. A poster called RG “The Rafael Nadal Invitational”, and I think we could call the AO “The Novak Djokovic Invitational.” Novak has even improved his serve, to go along with his incredible ROS.

    The winner on the women’s side is tougher. I think either Barty or Halep could win, although Muguruza has been playing well. I am rooting for Barty because it is her home tourney, and she seems to be handling the pressure very well.

    What do you think?

  • Harold · January 28, 2020 at 3:34 pm

    Djoker should win..probably straight set Fed if he’s not 100 percent..the other side of the draw looks like Nadal. Thiem has a shot if he gets through Nadal. Stan might win tonight, but won’t beat N or T in the semis..Zman will have it tough, Wawa is going to make it a war( I hope)

    Why did the Aus Open slow these courts down so much..For their boys? Kyrgios can hit through any court speed, not sure what deMinaur favors. Barty?

    Hard to hit through these courts even with the sun shining…people running down most everything

  • Scoop Malinowski · January 28, 2020 at 6:09 pm

    Michael my pick to win since last year has been Djokovic. He’s had the eye of the tiger and full intensity beast mode since ATP Cup. He wants this title badly and I don’t see anyone beating him. Best shot to beat him is Wawrinka. I think Djokovic would prefer to play Federer than Wawrinka. Also I think Sandgren outplayed Federer, was better but at the end he was afraid to win. Just spun in that first serve at the 7-6. Why not go for the ace like he did all match? Fear of beating the God of tennis?

  • Andrew Miller · January 28, 2020 at 6:23 pm

    Thiem will beat Nadal, I think. And even though Djokovic is indeed formidable, I think Thiem wins the event.

  • Andrew Miller · January 28, 2020 at 6:26 pm

    Tennis is that way. Roddick “should” have won the 2009 Wimbledon final – but he was serving into the sun in the 14-15 game. I saw Roddick struggling with it, and then it was quickly over.

    Federer “should” have won at Wimbledon with match points. Federer “should” have beaten Djokovic in the 2010 US Open semifinals.

    Isn’t that easy. They don’t just hand out match wins.

  • Andrew Miller · January 28, 2020 at 6:30 pm

    Blame Javier Sanchez Vicario, who owns the company that did the re-surfacing.

  • Andrew Miller · January 28, 2020 at 6:34 pm

    Finals, long time. Final or finals works. Agassi said it in 2005 referring to the US Open final after his semifinal. Nadal wasn’t first at all.

  • Andrew Miller · January 28, 2020 at 6:39 pm

    O’Shannessy, that was my thought. He asked for more money or disclosed hey I’d like to sell this stuff to Berrettini, Ivanisevic said forget it, and Djokovic said goodbye.

    What would have stopped O’Shannessy from advising Berrettini on Djokovic? Too much conflict of interest. Would have been better for O’Shannessy to keep selling his many thousand dollar powerpoints on most effective tennis plays (which you can learn many, many other ways..including taking a lesson).

    I’m afraid I am now sounding like the skeptic Scoop. I think the data stuff is real and helpful, but in looking at the guy’s website and how he’s hawking product at $$$$$ for basically a powerpoint worth of tennis stats. Maybe everyone really is Mouratoglou, even if they know something helpful for a player.

  • Scoop Malinowski · January 28, 2020 at 7:08 pm

    Tennis magazine gave O Shannessy FIVE pages. I would not be surprised at all if he paid the magazine to do a feature about him. Yes that does happen. All magazines need all the revenues they can get. Maybe I’m an undercover double agent asking players who they play and beat certain players and I sell the info back to the other player? 🙂 O Shannessy does good work but I think his stats are overrated in importance, maybe they help a player win a few points a match. Stats don’t win matches though, the player wins by his play, variety, clutch shots, boldness under pressure and carefully constructed gameplan. Wishing O Shannessy well but I don’t see any top players buying his stats.

  • Scoop Malinowski · January 28, 2020 at 7:12 pm

    Yes I can see that scenario playing out. O Shannessy working pro bono for the best player in the world, getting huge exposure but no money. Then after success he decides to squeeze Djokovic for some money. No reply. Then O Shannessey donates to other top players and uses it as leverage to squeeze Djokovic. Djokovic says goodbye. O Shannessy should have been happy where he was, don’t get too uppity. Let the demand create itself. But most people don’t care about stats in tennis. Just play the game.

  • Andrew Miller · January 28, 2020 at 9:02 pm

    I believe properly applied the analytics are gold. In light of how many pro players approach their matches without prep and scouting, which is easy work, it doesn’t surprise me that the analytics makes up for a lot of poor planning.

    It really is insane how much someone can learn from the stats. But, players when practicing don’t want to hear about their opponent (just want to play my game) and coaches have monetary reasons for paying attention to the players rather than using the stats to help them. If you tell your paying player hey, you are great believe in yourself, they like that even if they lose 2-6. Etc. No one wants to hear actually you need to work on your backhand.

    Larry Stefanki has many stories about this. He gets it. Players don’t want to change generally unless they are ambitious and see the point of it – they experiment, get good results, and improve it. When Roddick saw the results worked for him, he did everything Stefanki asked of him.

    And if you’re not a great coach, just market yourself. I mean, it works so well…

  • Andrew Miller · January 28, 2020 at 9:04 pm

    O’Shannessy did the work at the lower levels too. He’s been doing this for over 25 years. That he charges for it is fine. That players don’t scout is not good.

  • Jeff · January 28, 2020 at 10:19 pm

    What is silly is noting a player likes to use a slice backhand isn’t analytics. It is called coaching.

    I don’t doubt that the stats tell a story but the incredible return game and defense of Nole defies any statistical analysis. He simply wins points that other players would lose because of his ability to return sure winners.

  • Andrew Miller · January 28, 2020 at 11:48 pm

    I’d read the article first, then take your shot at the guy. Twenty five years of analysis with tons of world class players. He’s an excellent promoter as well. And for a sport where players no longer believe in studying opponents tendencies (and lose and talk about how they “couldn’t play my game today”) I find it a little rich that some strategy wouldn’t help.

    Then again for anyone that believes that “just play my game”, without any strategy of scouting, works, you can always ask most of the 128 player field, or the qualies draw, or all the people that fail to make the qualies draw, how that’s going for them. For most of them, not all that well.

    Anyways, doubt away. The code breakers are coming for tennis, and thus far they’ve done quite a job reintroducing the sport to itself.

  • Andrew Miller · January 28, 2020 at 11:51 pm

    Djokovic used the stats service to destroy Nadal a few times. It wasn’t just Djokovic’s sheer brilliance that he knew where the ball was going before it was even hit.

    Sometimes good players prepare. Sometimes they even apply knowledge gained from scouting, which is what the analytics is – scouting. Many players don’t bother with it, and judging from the OCC on the WTA, some top coaches peddle worthless advice.

  • Jeff · January 29, 2020 at 12:04 am

    Anyone watch Sandgren’s press conference? He truly was devastated – it showed that he not only expected to win but that he expected to win the tournament. Usually the U.S. players meekly accept defeat. Not Sandgren. I think he has a real shot at becoming the top American in the rankings this year and what a story that would be.

  • Jeff · January 29, 2020 at 12:12 am

    I did read the story, and we have talked enough about Shaughnessy, there isn’t much more to say. Is he even relevant at this year’s Australian Open?

  • Andrew Miller · January 29, 2020 at 12:46 am

    Players win in different ways. Some use scouting. Others trust their gut. The best do some of both.

  • Andrew Miller · January 29, 2020 at 12:53 am

    Zverev up 4-0 now in 4th, two sets in hand, on Wawrinka. If he can’t close this out…he has played a shaky game on serve, but pulled it out with an ice and some gifts from Wawrinka. Wawrinka has shown many flashes of his “old” self, but those flashes of brilliance are no match for young Zverev, who has stayed focused and is about to go up 5-0.

  • Andrew Miller · January 29, 2020 at 12:55 am

    Wawrinka escapes, gets on board at 1-4 down. This seems like Zverev’s day. Zverev hasn’t looked like a slam champ (yet) but he has looked like the better player ona court with a three time slam champ, and that works.

  • Jeff · January 29, 2020 at 1:23 am

    When you examine Sandgren even closer it is mind-boggling how much of a big match player he is. He has won only 14 Slam matches so far but look at the players he has beaten in them: Wawrinka, Tsonga, Thiem, Fognini twice, Querrey, Simon, Berretini, Troicki. What an elite list of players that is. Among his losses in Slams are Djokovic twice, Cilic and Federer and he won at least one set in three of those matches.

    Sandgren is the real deal and figures to be a force to be reckoned with.

  • Scoop Malinowski · January 29, 2020 at 2:02 am

    Djokovic played Rafa about 50 times, he doesn’t need stats to tell him where the ball is coming.

  • Scoop Malinowski · January 29, 2020 at 2:03 am

    Sandgren was devastated but he handled that press conference with more class than Federer did after his worst losses.

  • Scoop Malinowski · January 29, 2020 at 2:05 am

    Sandgren’s record is so unique, about 35-45 in ATP and I think 14-10 in majors. He does better in majors.

  • Jeff · January 29, 2020 at 2:18 am

    Right Scoop, Sandgren is a big-match player who relishes the spotlight. I would venture to guess his list of players beaten in Slams is more impressive than someone like Kyrgios.

  • Jeff · January 29, 2020 at 3:01 am

    Sandgren has reached as many Slam QFs as Kyrgios. And he won the only time the two played. If he broke rackets, got fined and talked about the NBA more, maybe he’d be a star too.

  • Hartt · January 29, 2020 at 8:12 am

    Thiem just won a hard-fought match against Nadal. If Dominic wins his match against Sascha, I think he has a real shot at defeating Novak. Certainly if he plays the way he did today.

  • Scoop Malinowski · January 29, 2020 at 8:45 am

    Nice to see Muguruza back at the top after a long absence, Conchita Martinez always has evoked her best and she is doing it again. Not shocked Thiem upset Rafa, he’s even beaten him on clay several times. Zverev’s sudden rise is a surprise though. Really disappointed McEnroe and Navratilova are intolerant of Margaret Court’s religious convictions and are trying to steal the court named in her honor and tribute. Why won’t they just leave this little old lady alone already. Why must they continually try to rob her of her earned honors? Sickening.

  • catherine · January 29, 2020 at 9:27 am

    I would have a lot more respect for Martina if, instead of picking on Margaret Court, who is an easy target, she put pressure on the WTA about the number of women’s tournaments currently held in countries with repressive and intolerant regimes where penalties for deviating from strict cultural codes are often severe.

    Martina and McEnroe’s behaviour was absolutely inappropriate and also put Evonne in an embarrassing position.

    It’s all about them.

  • Andrew Miller · January 29, 2020 at 9:42 am

    Called it, Thiem 🙂 Didn’t think Nadal, who has overplayed already in 2020, would make it any further and he didn’t. I think Thiem can win the event. Zverev played well last night, not amazing but well, and Wawrinka seemed to feel like he had to play better and threw up a lot of errors.

    Zverev may be a bad match up for Thiem, but Thiem has been a different player since he won his hometown title. I don’t know why he tossed Muster off his team, but I’d imagine Muster and Massu weren’t playing nice in the sandbox.

    Muster in an interview with Boris Becker was unsparing in his criticism of Thiem. He said how much he likes him, but heavily criticized his match preparation. This says less about Thiem than it does Muster, who is a crazy tennis genius.

    I am sorry more fans today have no clue who Muster is or was. Much like Rios, his tennis lives on old videos, and hopefully are useful at academies where coaches aren’t connecting with players and need models to demonstrate how to play the game better at the pro level.

    That said Thiem has done incredibly well to knock out Nadal and put himself in position alongside Zverev, who has also done remarkably well this tournament and as well as Tsitsipas last year, and who looks in the rearview mirror to see if any other next gen guys are around, and finds himself alone.

    On Tennis.com Steve Tignor wondered whether this new mission of Kyrgios and Zverev to play for Australia’s victims of the forest fires had given them a larger purpose and made it easier for them to play more of their best tennis. He felt I think that so far so good, and maybe this is how these guys have to think.

    Michael Jordan said he used to pick out a player in the crowd who to play for, and said he’d play for that person. This is similar, in players dispelling a lot of the pressure to play for a cause. Tignor wondered how long the effect would last, so enjoy the inspired tennis from players with their heart in the right place.

  • Scoop Malinowski · January 29, 2020 at 9:44 am

    This may backfire big time on McEnroe and Navratilova. As well it should. Picking on and attacking a little old lady for her devout religious convictions is sickening. They tell us to tolerate everything, every perversion, but don’t dare tolerate Margaret Court’s devout religious convictions. Margaret Court has more courage than anyone in tennis. She has been attacked and abused and character assasinated worse than any pro athlete I can think of, just for standing for what she believes in.

  • Andrew Miller · January 29, 2020 at 10:13 am

    Nah, McEnroe and Navratilova will be fine. We all know this. They are dutifully employed as former champions calling matches and doing OK in the broadcaster booth.

    Perhaps one day we will also have better analysts calling matches that aren’t necessarily super champions. I’m sure many soon-to-be ex-champions will find a home in some match booth in some part of the world, soon. Maybe other countries are lucky where they have a tournament but lack a slam champion, so more former players get opportunities to call matches.

    Such as the UK, the land of Jo Konta and NO ONE ELSE, where Laura Robson has done a (decent?) job , maybe?

  • Hartt · January 29, 2020 at 11:55 am

    Not a Slam, but the Rogers Cup fits your description, Andrew. The main commies have been Jimmy Arias and Tracy Austin for several years. I think both have done a good job, with Austin improving over time.

  • Andrew Miller · January 29, 2020 at 12:07 pm

    Like Austin! She has a nice enthusiasm over the broadcast. Some others too, Chanda Rubin has done fine work, Koenig, some others.

    Some broadcasting is lazy. Hope it is more competitive, that they give more opportunities to players that care about the match not just using the time to vent about whatever they want to. Have been watching matches in silence as speakers don’t work on my computer anymore.

    The matches are still exciting 🙂

  • Hartt · January 29, 2020 at 12:21 pm

    Austin and Arias work for the Canadian sports network that carries the Rogers Cup. I thought that Austin hyped the American players too much at first, and wondered if she understood that she was talking to Canadian tennis fans. But she did improve on that, and as you said, she has a nice manner, positive and enthusiastic.

    I know Arias is not everyone’s cup of tea, but I thought he was fair, while being critical when appropriate. I still remember when Milos had the big run to the Rogers Cup final, and Canadian fans were super excited. Arias kept hings in perspective, without being nasty about it. It’s funny what you remember, and I remember Arias saying he was impressed with Milos’ win over Youzhny.

  • Harold · January 29, 2020 at 1:13 pm

    Today was a sad day for the future of American tennis. If anyone thinks Fritz and Tiafoe’s A game matches up with Zverev and Thiem, show me the proof. Thiem best Fritz on the day he fired his coach. Miles apart.. Opelka might get lucky and serve his way to a fast US Open court or Wimby, but I’d be shocked.

    Funny little comment during the Fed/Sandgren match. They noted Sandgren doesn’t have sponsors, they mentioned the Guinot, and Mary Cohr patches he was wearing. They said reps for those two companies would throw “ a few dollars@ at players playing big matches on big courts. Wonder what they get per match? Googled them, both French skin care products

  • catherine · January 29, 2020 at 2:09 pm

    Andrew – I always watch matches in silence. Adds tremendously to my enjoyment.

  • Harold · January 29, 2020 at 2:18 pm

    Wow! I watch every sport without the sound, listening to music, except for tennis. I think the enjoyment hearing the sound off the racquet, put up with the grunting.
    Except if Mary Carrillo is doing a match. She’s knowledgeable, but she thinks she’s there to make herself cackle

  • Andrew Miller · January 29, 2020 at 2:21 pm

    U.S. men, some hope: Zverev until yesterday never advanced past a slam QF, and never past 4R in Australia. Tiafoe had him on that one until 2020 🙂 But all of this was of course before the “giant leap backwards” for Tiafoe aka after Miami 2019.

  • Andrew Miller · January 29, 2020 at 2:23 pm

    Wish I could hear the sound, I do this out of “no options”. It’s either watch without sound or make stuff up after the matches end and hope no one can tell the difference.

  • Harold · January 29, 2020 at 2:30 pm

    My point is Tiafoe and Fritz ceiling is the quarters. They’re not winning Majors.

  • Andrew Miller · January 29, 2020 at 4:19 pm

    Not unless they get about 100 percent better. It would take a miracle.

  • Scoop Malinowski · January 29, 2020 at 6:54 pm

    Jimmy Arias is my favorite commentator now, smart, reads a match, funny, witty, lots of experiences he shares, I enjoy him the best now.

  • Scoop Malinowski · January 29, 2020 at 6:58 pm

    No ceilings on any players. Four years ago Sandgren’s ceiling was major qualies. When Victor Estrella Burgos was 28 years old his ceiling was Futures and Challengers, not major third rounds or ATP titles. No ceilings. Anybody can pull off a Pennetta or Thomas Johansson.

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