"After 20 plus years of professional tennis, there's still fire going" - Novak Djokovic in high spirits ahead of Cincinnati Open

Novak Djokovic is in high spirits as he gears up for the 2023 Cincinnati Open, set to be played from August 12 to 20.

The Serb will return to play on US soil after two years due to COVID restrictions in the country and the player's unvaccinated status. The crowd also seemed excited to welcome him back as they packed the practice court to watch the 23-time Grand Slam champion in action on the first day of the tournament.

In a recent interview with the ATP, Djokovic spoke about his drive to win and stated that even after playing professional tennis for almost two decades, he felt the "fire going".

“I like the feeling that I have after 20-plus years of professional tennis. There's still fire going,” he said.

He added that he still had the hunger to win titles and a desire to elevate the sport.

“There's still that drive and motivation to really come at the biggest events in sport and try to win, try to win titles and try to bring some good sensation to the crowds,” he added.

The venue also holds a special place for the World No. 2 who completed his Career Golden Masters by winning all nine ATP Masters 1000 titles in Cincinnati in 2018.

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Novak Djokovic's draw in Cincinnati Open 2023

Novak Djokovic

Brushing aside his 2023 Wimbledon final defeat against Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic is ready for the hardcourt swing at the Cincinnati Open.

The 36-year-old packed the stadium during his practice match on the first day of the tournament. In an interview with ATP, he spoke about the atmosphere in Cincinnati and the enthusiasm of the crowd.

“It was amazing, to be honest. I made a joke with my coach, and I asked him whether we are [at] the right court because we thought it [was] a match. He actually said he thought it was a match happening because it [was] a match court,” Djokovic said.

Seeded second, the former World No. 1 is placed in the bottom half of the draw and is likely to face stiff competition from thirteenth seed Cameron Norrie and Gael Monfils en route to the quarterfinals. He is likely to clash with Taylor Fritz or eighth-seed Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals.

With all the Top 20 players competing at the tournament, the Serb will have to battle it out with the likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Holger Rune, and Daniil Medvedev on his way to a record-extending 39th Masters title.

The World No. 2 has received a first-round bye and will open his campaign against the winner between Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Tomas Martin Etcheverry on Wednesday, August 16.