Djokovic: Returning to Australia says how I feel, events from a year ago can't erase all the wonderful moments

At the beginning of January, Novak Djokovic will prepare for the Australian Open at the ATP Series 250 tournament in Adelaide, and then the hunt for the tenth title in Melbourne in on. Sixteen years ago, Novak played in Adelaide as a teenager and then won the third trophy in his career. Today he has 91 titles, and by the end of January he could have two more.

Until two months ago, there was fear about whether Novak would be able to perform at the first Grand Slam of the season, but as the local authorities lifted the ban on his entry into the country, he decided to return to the place where he won the most Grand Slam titles. However, the immigration detention, the ban from playing the Australian Open, the trial, and the deportation remain etched in his memory.

"You can never forget those events, they always remain deep within you. It will be like that until the end. I haven't had that experience before, I hope I won't again, but it was an interesting life lesson. I have to move on. Coming back to Australia says how I feel about this country, how I feel when I play here.", Djokovic said.

"I was really hoping to get permission to come back and play because this is the country where I made huge successes in my career."

And we know how dominant the king of tennis is on Aussie soil. The Serbian lifted the Australian Open trophy nine times.

"What happened 12 months ago can't erase all the wonderful moments I've had here. The Australian Open is my favorite Grand Slam and the results show that."

But before Melbourne, the focus is on the tournament in Adelaide.

"This tournament is extremely strong. You have Medvedev, Felix, Rublev, top-class tennis players, Also in the opening rounds, you can face an opponent like Thanasi Kokkinakis, who is the defending champion. That could be interesting. To play against Thanasi in front of his fans", said currently the fifth tennis player in the world.

For years, there has been talk of a new generation of world tennis. However, senators like Djokovic and Nadal have not yet allowed newcomers to start winning Grand Slams continuously. Moreover, their titles in the biggest tournaments of the white sport are more the exception than the practice.

"I have always believed in myself and carried the belief that I can win every tournament I participate in. With my career behind me, I feel I deserve that mental approach. The circumstances are clearly different. There are a lot of young guys on the tour, a generational change is coming. But Nadal and I are still the protectors of the old guard," said Novak.

Nevertheless, Novak spoke with great respect about his younger colleagues, and again emphasized how he feels when he finds himself in Australia.

"I know what I have to do to compete with them and to be competitive for the title here in Adelaide and in Melbourne. The good memories and memories I keep and the history on Australian soil gives me a lot of positive energy and the belief that I can repeat the success, that I can reach far"

Novak is ahead of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in all the most important parameters in the popular 'GOAT' race. The numbers are not in his favor only in terms of Grand Slam titles. With 22, Nadal escapes him by one and the first Grand Slam of the season is a chance to level with the Spaniard.

"The goal is to be at the peak in Melbourne. I want to play the best tennis there. I suppose that at this stage of my career, with everything I have achieved, every new major tournament is a chance to write history. Of course, this is a big challenge for me. I don't lack inspiration or motivation."