Novak Djokovic has fired again at claims that he ought to retire, telling his critics and doubters critics that his victory over Carlos Alcaraz proved that he nonetheless has the sport to compete on the highest doable stage.
Though the Serb received the Paris Olympics final yr, he did not handle to register any triumphs on the Tour and that led to some arguing that he could not anymore compete in opposition to the Spaniard and Jannik Sinner.
However at this previous Australian Open, it was the 37-year-old who despatched Alcaraz house after getting back from a set right down to beat the world 21-year-old within the quarterfinal 4-6 6-4 6-3 6-4.
Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic© Australian Open/YouTube
Sadly for Djokovic, he could not again up that vast win in his subsequent match in opposition to Alexander Zverev as a result of a muscle tear pressured him to retire after shedding the opening set of his semifinal match.
The present world No. 7 perhaps did not handle to win the Australian Open however he positively felt that he would have a powerful shot at making all of it the way in which had he stayed wholesome.
Djokovic: If I did not consider I might compete at that stage, I would not be right here
“I hope that the 100th trophy can come to Doha right now, I’ve been chasing it for a long time, since October last year, but about that and then – it will come when it needs to come,” the document 24-time Grand Slam champion advised Vijesti.me.
“Thank God, I know it will come, we’ll see when and where. As for the Grand Slam, it’s a bigger challenge, a more difficult undertaking, but I believe I can – if I didn’t believe I could compete at that level with the best tennis players in the world, I wouldn’t continue to compete.
“I believe I proved by successful in opposition to Alcaraz on the Australian Open that I can nonetheless compete for the largest trophies.”
For now, Djokovic’s short-term is clearly to win subsequent week’s ATP 500 match in Doha and obtain a really distinctive milestone by reaching 100 titles.
