Novak Djokovic on facing younger opponents - "It’s only going to get tougher from here, so I have to be ready for that"

Novak Djokovic opened up about how he deals with younger opponents after facing Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the third round of the 2023 French Open. The 23-year-old Spaniard has a significant 13-year age gap with Djokovic.

On Friday, Djokovic defeated Davidovich Fokina in straight sets to reach the fourth round of Roland Garros for the 14th consecutive time. But the match was closer than it appeared, with the first two sets lasting nearly three hours.

Following his win, the 22-time Grand Slam champion joined Boris Becker in an interview with Eurosport. Becker questioned Djokovic about how he retains the upper hand when facing opponents 10-15 years younger than him.

Djokovic quipped that Becker, who coached him between 2013-2016, already had an understanding of his mental strength.

“Well, you trained me for three years Boris, so I think you know a little bit about the mental strength part," he said.

The Serb then said that as the match and tournament progress, he becomes more confident and comfortable on the court - a sentiment echoed by Stefanos Tsitsipas.

"I’m just kind of a player that the longer it goes, actually the better I feel on the court. The more confident and comfortable I feel, I would say. So I’m glad to battle it out against really anybody," he added.

Djokovic also acknowledged that his body was not responding to the rigors of play as well as it used to 10 years ago. He emphasized the need to prioritize his recovery and be prepared for the increasing difficulty of facing younger opponents, as the competition would only become "tougher."

"I know as well that the body is not maybe responding as well as it did 10 years ago but look, the good thing is that you have a day between every match. The priority is recovery right now and it’s only going to get tougher from here so I have to be ready for that," Djokovic said.

"We don't have much time to start to name the many injuries I have" - Novak Djokovic ahead of French Open 4R clash

Novak Djokovic through to the fourth round at the 2023 French Open

Novak Djokovic requested a medical timeout prior to the start of the third set in his third-round match against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, and received treatment on his thigh.

When questioned about the reason for the timeout and whether it indicated any concerning injuries for the remainder of the tournament, the Serb responded that there wasn't enough time to address all the injuries he was dealing with.

"Look, we don't have much time to start to name the many injuries I have, and the list is quite long. So, I mean, you know, I don't want to sit here and talk about these things that are not preventing me from playing," he said.

The two-time French Open champion will continue his quest for a record 23rd Grand Slam when he faces Juan Pablo Varillas in the fourth round on Sunday, June 4.