Djokovic: "Pressure is a privilege"

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Novak Djokovic demonstrated once again that his motivation goes far beyond titles and records. His victory against Majchrzak in his debut at Indian Wells 2026 left an image with full stands, the enthusiastic crowd, and the Serbian competing with the same intensity that has marked his career for over two decades. 

With practically all the major records in this sport under his belt, Djokovic reflected on what keeps driving him to stay at the peak of world tennis at 38 years old. The love for competition, the personal growth that tennis provides him, the support of his family, and the connection with the fans continue to be, as he explained, the major motivators that push him to keep stepping onto the court. 

The love for competition and “pressure as privilege”

Djokovic made clear that his main driving force remains the competition itself. “I find inspiration in many different things. First and foremost, I really love tennis. I am passionate about this sport and about competing. I love the thrill of stepping onto the court, hearing your name, listening to the score, and feeling those nerves,” he explained. For the Serbian, that pre-match tension is a sign that he is still competing in something important. “Billie Jean King said that pressure is a privilege, right? And I really resonate with that. It means you are doing something important, something worthwhile,” he pointed out.

Moreover, Djokovic explained that competing at the highest level also forces him to confront his own emotions. “Especially when you are an individual athlete, you have nowhere to hide. There are many emotions that you have to face on the court. That teaches me many lessons and reminds me of what I also need to work on emotionally,” he noted. 

The dream of playing with his son

Beyond the court, the Serbian finds another great source of inspiration in his closest environment. “I still have great support from my family. Seeing my wife, my kids, my brothers, and my parents cheering for me remains a great motivation. Before being a father, I dreamed that my kids would be old enough to understand what is happening on the court and what their father does,” he stated. 

In fact, the Serbian is already starting to share tennis moments with his son Stefan. “Now I am at a stage where I can have pretty good rallies with my son. He will probably beat me soon,” he joked. The Balkan even compared the situation to the dream LeBron James fulfilled by playing alongside his son in the NBA. “My son is 11 years old… I don't know if I will last on the circuit until he is 18,” he joked.

Finally, Djokovic pointed out that the affection of the fans continues to be another of the major reasons to keep competing. “Today there was a full stadium for my first match,” he highlighted. “Feeling that energy, that atmosphere, the support, and the love is one of the main reasons why I continue moving forward.”

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Djokovic: “La presión es un privilegio”