"They awaken a beast in me" - Novak Djokovic on being motivated by Next Gen stars playing their 'best tennis' against him

Novak Djokovic recently revealed the secret behind his dominance over the younger generation of players. In an exclusive interview, Djokovic said that facing the rising stars of the sport motivates him to unleash his inner beast and play his best tennis.

Djokovic has been ruling the men’s game for more than two decades. He has won 24 Grand Slam titles, the most in the game's history. However, in recent years, the Serb has also faced increasing competition from the younger players, who are eager to challenge his supremacy and make their mark in the sport.

Some of the names that have emerged as the World No. 1's potential successors are Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Casper Ruud, Carlos Alcaraz, and Jannik Sinner. These players are all in their early or mid-20s and have shown impressive results and skills on various surfaces and occasions.

The World No. 1 said that he respects their talent and ambition and that they motivate him to work harder. He also said that they awaken his inner beast, which drives him to win at all costs.

“I don’t know if that sounds good, to be honest. I think the young guys who are very hungry and very inspired to play their best tennis against me is an additional motivation. I think they kind of awaken a beast in me,” Djokovic told Jon Wertheim in 60 Minutes on CBS News.

The 36-year-old’s words are not just empty talk. He has backed them up with his performance on the court, having won three out of four Grand Slam titles in 2023.

The Serb has also defeated all of the aforementioned young players in crucial matches, such as the Australian Open final against Tsitsipas (6-3, 7-6(4), 7-6(5)), the French Open final against Ruud (7-6(1), 6-3, 7-5), and the US Open final against Medvedev (6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3).

---

"I like that Novak Djokovic is still here for us young players to really see what the real deal is" - Holger Rune

Holger Rune and Novak Djokovic at the 2023 Italian Open

Holger Rune believes that the continued dominance of Novak Djokovic is a positive influence on the younger generation of tennis players. Rune, alongside fellow rising stars Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, has displayed promising talent and harbors high hopes for the future of the sport.

On the Advantage Connors podcast hosted by Jimmy Connors and his son Brett, Rune was asked whether he and his peers would be the ones to eventually dethrone the Big Three of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Djokovic. In response, Rune praised the Serb's longevity and stated that it serves as a valuable benchmark for aspiring athletes.

"Yeah, I totally agree. I have to agree and I do agree. But the fact is, Novak is still winning three out of four Grand Slams this year. So we cannot say that he is gone because we need to beat him like not just one time but like every time. I will try to beat him every time because if he keeps winning this big tournaments, why would he stop?" Rune said.

Rune emphasized the importance of the Serb's continued presence in tennis for the younger generation. The Dane said that witnessing the legendary trio of Djokovic, Federer, and Nadal firsthand is invaluable for aspiring athletes.

"I mean he is not gonna stop until we beat him so the sooner we can get the level raised, the sooner we will take over. I actually like that Novak is still here because you know for us young players to really see what the real world is in a way, what the real deal is," he added.

"If you never experience Roger, Rafa or Novak, I think we would miss something and I think Novak is like extremely high standard and I think for us so close to see that is very helpful," Rune said.

The head-to-head record between Holger Rune and Novak Djokovic stands in favor of the latter, 3-2. Their most recent encounter was at the 2023 ATP Finals in Turin, where the Serb defeated Rune, 7-6(4), 6-7(1), 6-3, in the first round robin match.