Novak Djokovic on shedding his 'robotic' persona: "I am trying to enjoy myself more, pay attention to things I haven't had a chance in 20 years to do"

Novak Djokovic has talked about his efforts to reconcile his enduring competitive spirit with his desire to enjoy himself more.

Following a brief hiatus after his semifinal exit at the 2024 Australian Open, Djokovic made a winning return to the tour at the Indian Wells Masters. The Serb claimed a hard-fought 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 victory over Aleksandar Vukic to reach the third round.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion made the most of his time in California before his tournament opener. He attended Lionel Messi and Inter Miami's game against the LA Galaxy with his son Stefan, caught up with Nikola Jokic after Denver Nuggers' win over LA Lakers and showed off his football skills during practice sessions with Stefanos Tsitsipas and Aryna Sabalenka at Indian Wells.

Following his second-round win, Novak Djokovic spoke about his efforts to achieve a balance between enjoying himself while also maintaining his competitive drive, revealing his desire to indulge in various off-court activities he had neglected for nearly 20 years.

"It's a good question because I try to balance things out. Meaning, there's a part of me that is a fierce competitor that wants to win every single match, every single tournament, and you know, I have to do my chores, respect the routine, be disciplined, and still have the drive," Djokovic said (at 1:55).

"But at the same time, I am also trying to enjoy myself a bit more and pay attention to off-court activities, people, and things that I haven't had a chance in almost 20 years to do really," he added.

The World No. 1 disclosed that this desire had prompted him to be more selective about his schedule, allowing himself the time to enjoy off-court pursuits and spend more time with his family.

However, he admitted the challenge of striking this balance, as it was at odds with the "robotic" persona he had cultivated for nearly two decades.

"So, I'm kind of more picky and more selective with the tournaments where I'm playing and competing, which gives me a bit more time to work around my off-court schedule and watch Lakers or Jokic, spend some quality time with my family, go around LA and come in earlier, those are, I guess, the pros of not playing the lead-up tournaments to Indian Wells. It gives you a bit more time, which is lovely, he said.

"I mean, I'm still trying to find a balance because I've been kind of very robotic about things for the last almost 20 years, and yeah, I'm just trying to enjoy myself," he added.

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Novak Djokovic to take on Luca Nardi in Indian Wells 3R

Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic is aiming to break his tie with Roger Federer and clinch aa sixth title at Indian Wells. Following his win over Vukic, he will continue his campaign against Luca Nardi in the third round.

Nardi claimed a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win over Zhang Zhizhen in the second round to book his place against the World No. 1 in a first-time meetings. Should Djokovic emerge victorious against Nardi, he will take on the winner between Tommy Paul and Ugo Humbert for a spot in the quarterfinals.