"There are a lot of hungry wolves" - Novak Djokovic maintains he is still 'strong' despite fierce competition from youngsters looking to best him

Novak Djokovic has acknowledged the rise of young stars in tennis but asserts that the veterans remain strong. The Serbian legend admits that he’s at a delicate stage in his career and must plan his schedule wisely to maintain peak performance.

After a successful outing in Belgrade against Greece in the Davis Cup, Djokovic has traveled to Bulgaria to play an exhibition match against Grigor Dimitrov. The Bulgarian had traveled to Serbia to play an exhibition match four years ago, and Djokovic is now returning the favor.

The match is scheduled for 8:00 pm local time on Tuesday, September 17. The duo held a joint press conference earlier in the day where they stated that their friendship and charity were at the heart of the event.

In addition, Djokovic was asked about the cost of continuing to play at the age of 37. At the forefront of his answer were factors like dedication, discipline, motivation, and persistence. However, he also stated that there is no one set-in-stone formula.

"I am already 37 years old, which is a serious age for a professional tennis player. I've been playing for almost 20 years and my body is feeling it more and more. That's exactly why I'm playing less often and becoming more picky about my schedule," Djokovic said.

He further acknowledged the younger players challenging him in the sport. While Djokovic couldn’t secure a Grand Slam title this year, it was 21-year-old Carlos Alcaraz and 23-year-old Jannik Sinner who claimed the major titles. However, Djokovic did succeed in winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics.

"You have to be obsessed, but in a good way. Going to bed and getting up thinking how to get better. This applies to an even greater extent in individual sports, since in them there is no one to hide behind. There are a lot of hungry wolves, young players challenging the veterans, but we are still strong," he stated.

Notably, 2024 is the first year since 2002 in which Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, or Roger Federer have not won a Major. It is also the first year since 2017 when the Serb has not won a Major.

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"I am happy that I had the chance to come to Bulgaria before ending my career" - Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic at the Davis Cup (Image via Getty)

At the same press conference in Bulgaria, ahead of his exhibition match against Grigor Dimitrov, Novak Djokovic expressed his delight at being in the country. He stated that he has great respect for his counterpart.

"Grigor and I have played against each other many times. I have great respect for him. I get along with him better than most other players. I feel him like a brother and that's why I'm happy that we will finally have the opportunity to face each other in front of a Bulgarian audience," Djokovic said.

"I am happy that I had the chance to come to Bulgaria before ending my career. I hope we will make a good show for the audience...," he added.

Djokovic's next professional tournament is scheduled to take place in Shanghai, China, where he will compete in the Masters 1000 event. Later in the year, he is also set to play an exhibition match in Argentina against Juan Martin del Potro.