Although he is currently the world’s most popular person in 2024, it may seem absurd from a modern standpoint, but things were different back then.
Despite being one of the greatest players in the world, he missed more than a year of play due to an elbow injury. Djokovic had really had enough after attempting every remedy imaginable. In addition to struggling to play well, he was losing matches and couldn’t figure out what was wrong with his elbow.
Djokovic announced to his team that he was done playing tennis following the 2018 Miami Open. His team encouraged him to think it over when he calmed down, and he decided to go ahead. He would have elbow surgery, which he had intended to avoid, and all would be well.
During a recent visit to the Upfront Summit, the Serbian talked about that time period and his overarching theme of tenacity, which has been the cornerstone of his career thus far.
“I had an amazing career, and nobody really suggested to me that I should consider slowing down. To be honest, I did feel as though I wanted to give up tennis, especially in the months following the operation.”
“I had the worst game of tennis I’ve ever played. I felt horrible on the court, losing to guys I had never lost to, and I thought, “Maybe this is the moment.” I then called my team together and informed them that I was beginning to step away from professional tennis, feeling as though it could be time for the next phase.”
