'Seeing black': Djokovic considered quitting in 2010

Image
AFP Milan
Last Updated : May 01 2020 | 9:02 PM IST

World number one Novak Djokovic has revealed how he considered quitting tennis in 2010 as he struggled against great rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

The 32-year-old was ranked third in the world and had lifted his first Grand Slam at the 2008 Australian Open.

But he was plunged into the depths of despair in 2010 after letting a two-sets lead slip in a French Open quarter-final clash against Austrian Jurgen Melzer.

"This defeat was really difficult for me emotionally," the Serb said in an interview with Sky Sports Italia.

"I cried after being knocked out. It was a bad moment, I wanted to quit tennis because I saw everything black.

"I had won in Australia in 2008, I was number three in the world, but I wasn't happy.

"I knew I could do more, but I lost the more important matches against Federer and Nadal."
"It took off the pressure, I started playing more aggressively, here was the turning point."

Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: May 01 2020 | 9:02 PM IST

Next Story