Novak Djokovic reveals the key behind his supreme mental strength

Novak Djokovic has shown on more than one occasion that he is one of the mentally strongest tennis players in the history of this sport. Just think of the two match points canceled in the 2019 Wimbledon final, when everything now seemed set for Roger Federer's ninth title on the Centre Court.

When asked in a webchat by ATP rival Fabio Fognini about what helps him summon the calm and confidence he needed in those moments, Djokovic revealed all. “Breathing exercises are a lot more useful than people think," the World number 1 explained. “A proper breathing rhythm is a key to understanding and improving our own mental, physical and emotional statuses.

I do it when I need serenity or after I wakes up, in order to have more dynamic energy. Meditation isn’t a religious thing, it’s rather something personal that I do to stay healthy, especially given the sensory and informational overload we experience in the contemporary world. I’ve been doing it for a decade, and it’s been useful both on and off-court" - he added.

At the 2020 ATP Cup, Nole helped Serbia win its first title by scoring six victories including wins over Medvedev in the semifinal and Nadal in the final. At the 2020 Australian Open, he defeated long time rival Roger Federer in straight sets en route to the final where he defeated three-time grand slam runner-up Dominic Thiem in five sets.

This is Djokovic's 8th win at the Australian Open, making him the first Open Era male player to win Grand Slam titles in three different decades. For his 17th Grand Slam win he received 2.5 Million Euro as prize money. Djokovic won the title at Dubai Tennis Championships fifth time, defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2KAbkR4