Novak Djokovic claims he is on a "good trajectory" in Rome, talks about what he wants to study after retiring

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic required a mere 70 minutes to oust Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the third round of the 2021 Italian Open on Thursday. Djokovic won 6-2, 6-1 to progress to the Rome quarterfinals for the 15th time in 15 attempts.

Novak Djokovic got broken in the very first game of the match but was able to break back immediately, before going on to stamp his authority over Davidovich Fokina. Not surprisingly, the Serb sounded pleased with his game during his post-match on-court interview, saying he "played well" and that he was "more solid" than his opponent.

Djokovic did, however, admit that he benefitted a great deal from the 30 unforced errors that the Spaniard coughed up.

"I thought I played well," Novak Djokovic said. "He started well and broke my serve in the first game. I made some errors, but I managed to break back right away and establish the control and consistency on the court. I think from the back of the court I was just a bit more solid than him."

"He made some unforced errors and double faults in key moments, which obviously helped me get that necessary break forward," Djokovic added. "I thought I played better, at least 20 or 30 per cent better, than I did against Fritz a few days ago. I am on a good trajectory and hopefully tomorrow will be even better."

During his post-match press conference, Novak Djokovic talked about a host of other topics in addition to his on-court performance. One of those topics was the importance of education, which Djokovic claimed is a vital tool for one's "personal growth and development". The Serb also acknowledged the role of tennis in his education.

"I value education a lot, I think it is essential for personal growth and development, it not only gives you knowledge but also helps you solve situations that arise in life," Novak Djokovic explained. "I think tennis has allowed me to travel and acquire part of those skills."

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Novak Djokovic went on to reveal that his thirst for knowledge hasn't been sated yet, and that he plans to pursue a more holistic course of education after retiring from tennis. History, archeology, and more particularly health sciences are some of the subjects that the Serb mentioned he is interested in.

"But I really want to learn things and when I retire from tennis I will study because it is something that I have always missed," Djokovic said. "I am passionate about everything related to health, nutrition, emotional well-being. But I also want to know much more of history, archaeology for example."

My next match is going to be a battle: Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic will next face Stefanos Tsitsipas

Novak Djokovic will next take on Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarterfinals, but the Serb wasn't aware of that during his press conference as Tsitsipas' match hadn't got over by then. Djokovic highlighted the stellar form of both Tsitsipas and his opponent Matteo Berrettini while stressing that the match was likely to be a tough one.

"My next match will be against a Top 10 player, so it is going to be a battle," Novak Djokovic said. "Both of these guys are in great form. Tsitsipas won Monte Carlo and Berrettini is just coming off the final in Madrid. I am obviously going to do my best to win that match, whoever I play against."

The 34-year-old then went on to pay tribute to his parents and to the late Jelena Gencic, who was the first coach to identify and hone his talents at a very young age.

"My parents helped me a lot and we were all guided by Jelena Gencic, my tennis mother as I usually call her, the person who taught me all the fundamentals of tennis," Djokovic added.