Novak Djokovic said on Sunday he had no
regrets about missing a calendar-year Grand Slam in what he described as
his best season yet – even better than his sublime 2011, AFP reports.
Serena Williams was left shattered by her
narrow failure to win all four major titles, but the men’s world number
one said losing the French Open final had only spurred him on to
greater things.
Djokovic said defeat to Stan Wawrinka in
Paris had given him the hunger to win Wimbledon and the US Open, and a
newfound maturity helped him enjoy his successes even more.
“Winning three out of four Grand Slams and playing another final is not a disappointment,” he said at the China Open.
“On the contrary, it’s as good as it can get. One match more and it’s a perfect score.
“Somehow I feel like this one is even better (than 2011),” he added.
“I have no reason to regret anything that
happened this year. I feel like Roland Garros final was very emotional,
but it happened for a reason.
“Because I have lost that match, I feel
like I was even more eager to come back and play well on Grand Slams. I
think this was a big part of my success in Wimbledon and US Open.”
Djokovic also won three Grand Slam titles
in 2011 among 10 trophies, one of the great seasons of modern times.
But he said getting married and becoming a father last year made 2015
even sweeter.
“I just feel like as a more complete
person and a player. I’m a father and a husband,” said Djokovic, who has
seven titles so far this year.
“Just different circumstances that happen
in my life in the last couple of years, that have helped me to enjoy
all the success that I have on the tennis court even more.”
Djokovic has teamed successfully with
Boris Becker over the past two seasons and said that after retirement,
he planned to follow his mentor’s lead by taking up coaching.
“I would assume because tennis is my
life, I definitely will after my active playing career, stay somehow in
tennis, definitely involved, and eventually coach somebody one day,” he
said.
First, though, will come his expected
assault on Roger Federer’s record of 17 Grand Slam titles. Djokovic, who
has established himself as a class apart this year, is currently on 10.
“I still have a lot to work on and a lot
to win in order to get to the level where he is,” said Djokovic, adding
that he was “flattered” to be compared to Federer.
“To be actually winning 10 Grand Slams, it’s a great achievement. So I’m proud of it and I’ll keep on going,” he added.
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