The Serbian tennis player in the press conference: “Jannik will definitely triumph at the Internationals, maybe already this year…I will always push for greater player power”
“I told you so.” Novak Djokovic, questioned on the topic of the day (the threat of a boycott of the Slams), only refers to what he had denounced in the past, when he led the Player Council and founded the alternative union Ptpa. “The new generation is coming and I’m happy that there is a willingness on the part of leaders of our sport like Aryna (Sabalenka, ed.) to really take a step forward and understand the dynamics of how tennis politics works, to understand what needs to be done not only for their own benefit, but for everyone’s. This, for me, is true leadership. I respect it very much and I support it.”
SYSTEM
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The Serbian champion argues: “We are all part of the same sport. We all try to grow tennis: players, tournaments, governing bodies. Unfortunately sometimes there are conflicts of interest. Some don’t want to face them and I think that’s where players really need to use their power. I will always support a stronger position of players in the system, which is built in such a way that it doesn’t really favor players at all levels. And we’re not just talking about the top players. Sometimes my words get distorted and it seems like I’m asking for more money for myself, even when I win Slams. That’s not the point. We’re not talking about the great champions: we’re talking about the base of professional tennis, about the players who struggle to survive and leave tennis because they don’t have enough funds.
SINNER
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Djokovic returns to Rome after last year’s absence. He hasn’t played since March, when he was defeated in a third-set tie-break by Draper in the round of 16 of Indian Wells. Then he missed Miami and Madrid due to a right shoulder problem. “Rome is a city and a tournament that I really love, where I have had great success for many years. The final goal on this surface is Roland Garros and to try to get there by playing my best tennis. But, at the same time, I want to do well here too because I love this tournament.” The last response, in Italian, is for Sinner. Will he be able to complete the Masters 1000 collection by winning the Internationals? “He’ll definitely make it, probably this year too. He’s very strong, the way he plays is really impressive. Then yes, it’s difficult. The format has changed: now almost all the Masters last two weeks. Personally, I don’t like it. I preferred the old one-week format. But that’s how it is now and we have to adapt.”
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