Novak Djokovic has opened up about the increasing difficulty of maintaining his physical condition as he advances through the later stages of his career, following a tough loss to Matteo Berrettini at the Qatar Open.
In his first match since recovering from injury, the Serbian star was defeated 7-6(4), 6-2 by world No. 35 Berrettini in the opening round of the ATP 500 event in Doha. Despite his best efforts, Djokovic couldn’t break Berrettini’s serve, with the Italian producing one of the standout performances of his career.
This defeat marked a significant moment, as it was the first time Berrettini had beaten Djokovic in five attempts, with their most notable previous encounter being in the 2021 Wimbledon final.
Djokovic, who has been plagued by injuries recently, was playing his first singles match since a hamstring tear forced him to retire during his Australian Open semi-final against Alexander Zverev last month. The injury had occurred early in his quarter-final victory over Carlos Alcaraz at Melbourne Park.
The 37-year-old has long been lauded for his ability to recover from injuries, but in recent seasons, the physical toll of his career has become more apparent. Last year, for instance, Djokovic tore the medial meniscus in his right knee during the French Open but managed to recover in time to play at Wimbledon, where he reached the final. He later went on to win the Olympic gold medal in his next tournament.
Reflecting on his current situation in the press conference after the Berrettini loss, Djokovic acknowledged the reality of his changing physicality and his ongoing efforts to improve his game. “I am trying to improve my game, like everybody else. But my game isn’t going to change drastically now,” he said. “I’m not going to start playing serve-and-volley regularly, but my core game will remain the same. I’ll adjust based on the surface I’m playing on, of course.”
He also addressed the rising frequency of injuries and how it has impacted his ability to care for his body. “There are more injuries. Things are not the same as 10 or 15 years ago. I still try to take care of my body daily, but it’s more challenging now, no doubt. I still do my best, given the circumstances.”
Berrettini, who was elated with his victory, recalled a brief exchange with Djokovic at the net after the match. “I think he told me at the net at the end,” the 28-year-old shared. “Everyone was screaming, and I was trying to tell him that I had finally beaten him,” he laughed. “We spoke in Italian, and I was very happy.”
For Berrettini, the praise from Djokovic was a huge compliment. “It’s obviously a huge honor when someone like him says that about your game,” Berrettini said. “I really think it was one of the best matches of my career. From the first point, I felt good.”
Despite Djokovic’s legendary status, Berrettini knew that playing against him required relentless consistency. “Against Novak, you know you have to maintain that level for potentially two or three hours,” he added. “I had prepared for it, and I’m very proud of my performance. The more the match went on, the more I felt good about it. In general, it’s a good sign.”