Djokovic pens heartfelt letter to his fans

Novak Djokovic penned an open letter detailing his journey to his fourth Wimbledon title and 13th overall Grand Slam title.

In the post, Djokovic sheds light on the cause of two years of struggle that ensued after winning the 2016 French Open and the keys to overcoming it.

He also posted a Part 2 and a Part 3. Here are a few takeaways:

1

A lack of motivation hurt his matches—not his match preparation

Analysts like former coach Boris Becker speculated for months that Djokovic lacked the same motivation he had when he dominated the tour between 2015-2016. In the letter, Djokovic admits a lack of motivation hurt his play, but not in the way you might think.

He reveals he was plenty motivated to practice and enjoyed being on the court but ran into “mental hurdles” when he had to compete. The will that had inspired him to push through tough matches and pressure-filled moments in the past had waned—a fact that surprised even him.

2

The “Personal problems” are still a mystery

As far back as the 2016 US Open, Djokovic alluded to “personal problems” that had people speculating on the state of his marriage. He didn’t reveal any more detail then, and he still doesn't now…though he does promise “one day I will share more in depth what kind of challenges I had to face and how I felt.” As for his family life, all appears to be well in the Djokovic clan.

3

Impatience led to an “unwise” decision

At times during his long road back to the top, Djokovic made a number of confounding decisions, from firing his core team (only to hire them back later) and rushing back to competition after elbow surgery.

In the letter, Djokovic admits he was “trying to find solutions somewhere else” when in fact the solution “was always inside of me.” It just took time and a few hard lessons to realize that.

4

He’s still vulnerable

The many disappointments Djokovic endured on and off the court during his two years of wilderness left him feeling vulnerable at times, and he admits “I am still vulnerable.” Only he now sees it as a strength, not a weakness.

5

The search for “peace and balance” continues

The man who just captured his 13th Grand Slam at times reverted to his old abrasive personality, the one he replaced in his mid-to-late 20s in favor of a more demure, zen-like mindset.

As his Wimbledon title run proved, Djokovic is usually at his best with a slight chip on his shoulder, but the search for “peace and balance” both on and off the court remains a top priority.

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