Djokovic and his great reflection on his records and greatness: "I don't allow myself to reflect on it"

Carlos Navarro | 19 Jan 2026 | 14.20

Djokovic and a great reflection on his records and his greatness. Source: Getty

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Maintaining relevance and hunger when you have already won everything is a tough task. If your name is Novak Djokovic and your great travel companions, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, decided to set aside the racket several months ago, that challenge can become herculean. However, the Serbian, in a season when he turns 39 years old, seems determined to defy logic and science, insistent on reaching the peaks he consistently envisioned in his prime.

Sending the right message and demonstrating that he still has a few tricks up his sleeve. That was his goal in his debut at the 2026 Australian Open, after days of hesitation and doubts, with shortened training sessions and minor discomfort. None of that appeared in his match against Pedro Martínez, where we saw the most explosive and agile Nole in recent months, putting his work throughout the preseason to the test and finding the efficiency in his shots that he has been seeking for months.

It wasn't just any victory: it marks his 100th triumph in Australia, two shy of Roger Federer's historic record, being the third Grand Slam in which he has reached the centenary (only the US Open eludes him). How can Novak, with a very different generation from the one that accompanied him along part of the way, and knowing that the end is closer than ever, keep his mind focused on devouring goals? Is there no time for reflection or for digesting this kind of feat? The Serbian's response, on the court and with his characteristic eloquence, perfectly defines his philosophy.

"Yes and no. Yes, because sometimes that thought has come to my mind more frequently, especially in the last two years of my career, as the end is closer than the beginning. That brings many thoughts to your mind... but no, because I do not allow myself to spend too much time with those thoughts, as I feel that, as long as I am able to play at the highest level, I do not have time for that.

A tennis player's life is a constant journey: every week you have a new challenge, and even though I do not play as much as before, my heart is racing, and I always have a new goal in mind. You think about the next tournament, the next week, how to prepare... so you do not allow yourself to reflect too much. Hopefully, when I set my racket aside and am having a cocktail on the beach, I will be able to reflect on all of this (smiles)." There is no time for complacency, for nostalgia, or for personal enjoyment... not as long as the Serbian keeps thinking about winning every Grand Slam he enters.

Djokovic explained his feelings on his first day of competition and reveals the secret of his longevity

Achieving 100 victories in a Grand Slam, although it does not yet warrant deep reflection, is still a tremendous feat for which Nole was questioned, and he took the opportunity to reveal the little secret that may have allowed him to remain competitive for so long. "What can I say? I like how it sounds. A hundred, it sounds good to be in these kinds of numbers. I always give my best, every time I step on the court. Making history is a great motivation, especially in the last five or ten years of my career, once I positioned myself in a place where I could create history, that inspired me to show my best tennis.

I was very fortunate, at the beginning of my career, to come across people who guided me and taught me to look at the long term, not to burn out too quickly, to take care of my body, my mind, and strive for the longest possible career. I consider myself privileged to be able to continue playing at this level; it is a dream come true." Those pieces of advice and that approach in the later years of his career have ultimately allowed him to dominate through several generations and redefine what is considered a player's "peak," aided by the examples of Federer and Nadal.

Lastly, the Serbian also reflected on his level today and his approach for the first Grand Slam of the year. "You always feel great at the beginning of the tournament (smiles). We'll see how I progress, but my performance tonight was definitely great. I cannot say anything bad, I served very well. It is always a challenge to start the competition in the best possible way because you have to send a signal not only to yourself but also to your main rivals, who are watching you play... now I have a couple of days without a match to recover my body. It is very important because right now I use every hour available to make sure my body is ready for the next challenge." Next stop, Francesco Maestrelli on Thursday.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Djokovic y su gran reflexión sobre sus récords y grandeza: "No me permito reflexionar sobre ello"

Novak Djokovic