'Too Much Tension At Times': Novak Djokovic Shares Advice To Younger Self At Australian Open After 400th Grand Slam Match Win

Novak Djokovic claimed his 400th Grand Slam match victory with a 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(4) defeat of Botic van de Zandschulp to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open. However, the Serbian player was fortunate enough not to receive a code of violation after losing his cool during the match.

Djokovic opened the evening session with ease, a 5-3 lead before firing a sublime backhand crosscourt winner. However, he endured a minor turbulence but had no trouble coming back from it and taking back the lead in the second set. During the third set, despite being 4-2 up, an infuriated Novak Djokovic struck the ball that flew too close to the ballgirl positioned near the net.

The ball narrowly missed the ballgirl, and the match continued without any stoppage. Had the ball hit the girl, Djokovic could have faced automatic default under Grand Slam regulations, which strictly restrict the players from hitting the ball recklessly or in a dangerous manner within the arena.

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Novak Djokovic Shares Advice For Younger Self At The Australian Open

In his post-match interview, Djokovic was asked what advice he would give to his younger self. The player responded that he often loses his cool on the court and would like to advise his younger self to calm down.

Djokovic shared, "I’m too stressed on the court very often. Too much tension at times. I would say patience is a big one. When we are younger, regardless of the area of life we are involved in, I think we want everything here and now, today. Just having a bit of patience and trust in the process, and surrounding yourself with the right people, I think that’s a big one, that’s one of the biggest keys, I think, early on in the career of the young tennis player."

He further added, "People who can connect with you on a private level … There has to be a good chemistry, there has to be a good atmosphere, from which you can extract good vibes and good energy that can serve you for your great performance."

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Novak Djokovic Advances To Fourth Round

After defeating van de Zandschulp, Novak Djokovic became the first player to reach 400 Grand Slam match wins. He is now set to face the winner of Jakub Mensik versus Ethan Quinn as he targets his 25th Grand Slam title.