From mid-match retirements to sheer ruthlessness: The fascinating metamorphosis of Djokovic

Nobody plays the game better than Novak Djokovic right now. His baseline game is non-pareil, his drop shot is delicate as a feather, as is his powerful high forehand return. His rapier-like backhand return straight down the line often stumps opponents with it’s speed and accuracy. He is known universally by ardent Federer-Nadal fans as “Djokob*tch”. He’s booed, hated but there’s no denying that there are very few who can match Novak Djokovic’s stunning level of play these last few months.

Remember the Djokovic of old? The one who would withdraw from tournaments due to gastroenteritis, cramps, dizziness, blurred vision and heat exhaustion? Yeah, we don’t either.

Djokovic was known in the past for quitting matches mid-way due to ailments, including multiple withdrawals from Grand Slam matches.

In 2005, he had taken the first set against Guillermo Coria at the French Open but retired in the third because  his “legs had turned to rock and he couldn’t breathe” . During a victory over Gaël Monfils at the US Open three months later he took four medical timeouts after running out of breath. In 2007, he retired midway through a Wimbledon semi-final against Rafael Nadal because of an infected blister on his toe  At the 2009 Australian Open, Djokovic retired from his match citing cramps, fatigue and dizziness and trailing Roddick, 6-7 (3-7), 6-4, 6-2, 2-1. “Really tried my best, but sometimes you can’t fight against your own body, " the third-seeded Djokovic said at the post-match press conference.

Djokovic would always blame his breathing problems (reportedly a result of the Nato bombardment of Belgrade) and a series of other ailments to blame for his failures.

He was also questioned on his gamesmanship by fellow professionals on tour for allegedly using injury breaks as a distraction tactic. He has often irked his opponents with his medical excuses too - Federer ( called Djokovic’s injuries a joke ), Andy Roddick ( listed out 16 ailments Djokovic was suffering from ) and Nadal have in the past all spoken out against the Serb.

Since 2005 to 2009, he retired from seven matches: Four times in Grand Slams, while Federer, who is now in his 10-plus-years-long career has never retired mid-way through a professional match. For most of 2008, 2009 and 2010, Djokovic was the third best player in the field behind the Federer-Nadal duo.

Nowadays, the Djokovic of old is a distant memory. He’s meaner, leaner, fitter and is playing a far more superior game than anyone else on the field. Federer’s game is not flowing like it used too while Nadal is a shadow of his former self where we rarely see the fire within him. Like  Ashish Magotra in a previous Firstpost article wrote , “there is so much more to him than just fitness or the gluten-free diet. His serve is stronger, his groundstrokes more precise but it is his mind that has made the greatest leap.”

His rise has been a big blow to the careers of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer for whom at one point seemed like his star would never wane. Often Djokovic’s best tennis is played when he’s facing the crowd favourite, all the while being booed. It’s the classic Djokovic strategy to bate and antagonise the booing crowd with more ostentatious displays to egg his own performance up a few notches.  Once he even screamed “suck my d**k” at a hostile crowd at the Madrid Open.

It all changed for the Serb however after his tryst with Cypriot health nutritionist Dr Igor Cetojevic who deduced that Djokovic had a coeliac disease and was allergic to gluten, advising him to go on a gluten-free diet chart and which eventually brought his fitness back to its best.

“I’ve realised that a very holistic approach to life and tennis in general helps me a lot and gives me the best results,” Djokovic said in London last week. “I feel like I’ve found the formula that works for me and I’m trying to stick with it. There is not a single thing that I can add that I can call a secret of success or secret elixir or potion that I’m drinking. It’s everything together.”

Djokovic now follows a strict regimen of diet, exercise, yoga and meditation.

Be it his diet or his mental evolution. Djokovic has now become all but unbeatable. Federer recently at the London ATP World finals ended Djokovic’s 23-match winning streak dating back to the US Open, as also his 38-match indoor run from late 2012. He has also won the All England Club title three times in the past five years. Which is no mean feat by itself.

Yesterday, Nole powered through to beat Federer capping his remarkably stellar season defeating Roger Federer to claim a record fourth straight ATP World Tour Finals title. He ends this year at an all time high with 11 titles including three Grand Slams, taking his total to 10 majors.

But from what we’ve seen from the “Djoker” this past year, he hasn’t reached his peak yet. His best is yet to come. Novak is no longer the joker of the pack but the ace of the baseline.