Novak Djokovic: I'm sorry that I disappointed sports fans in my country

Serbia's Novak Djokovic didn't regret coming to the Tokyo Olympics but he regretted not winning a medal for his country. 

Djokovic lost the bronze medal match on Saturday as Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta claimed a 6-4 6-7 (6) 6-3 win to earn his maiden medal at the Olympics. 

Djokovic had been scheduled to also play the mixed doubles bronze medal match but he withdrew due to injuries. 

“I do have a regret for not winning a medal for my country,” Djokovic admitted, per the ITF website. “Opportunities missed both in mixed doubles and in singles. I didn’t deliver yesterday and today the level of tennis dropped, also due to exhaustion mentally and physically.”

Djokovic could play the 2024 Paris Olympics 

“I don’t regret coming to the Olympics at all, of course not,” he said. “I believe there is no coincidence in life. Everything happens for a reason.

“I’ve had some heart-breaking losses at the Olympic Games and some big tournaments in my career. I know that those losses have usually made me stronger in every aspect. I know that I will bounce back.

“I will try to keep going for the Paris Olympic Games. I will fight for my country to win medals. I’m sorry that I disappointed a lot of sports fans in my country, but that’s sport. I gave it [my] all - whatever I had left in the tank, which was not so much, I left it out on the court.”

Still, Djokovic has had a huge 2021 season, winning the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon. 

The efforts put into winning those Grand Slam took a toll on Djokovic but he hopes he will be able to play the US Open. 

“The consequences physically hopefully will not create a problem for me for the US Open,” he said. “That’s something that I am not sure about right now, but I’m not regretting giving it [my] all because at the end of the day, when  you play for your country, that’s necessary.”

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3rIW1dE