“There is a difference between a dream and an obsession.” Fans of sport and football in particular over the past two decades will surely have recognized the quote. These words were those of a certain José Mourinho during a famous press conference just before the Champions League semi-final second leg. between his Inter Milan and Pep Guardiola's FC Barcelona in 2010. An analogy that Novak Djokovic could have adopted to prepare for the battle which will pit him against Alexander Zverev on Friday, at the Rod Laver Arena And perhaps. moreover he did it, in his own way.
The reasoning deserves a little context. Fifteen years ago, the “Special One” imposed this psychological balance of power (“mind game” in English) by opposing the purity of the internalist dream, that is to say conquering the most beautiful of European competitions, to the he sickly Catalan obsession with doing it at Santiago-Bernabéu, stadium of the sworn enemy, Real Madrid, where the final took place. What does this have to do with the upcoming Australian semi-final? Here it is: Zverev is obsessed with winning a first Grand Slam title which stubbornly eludes him, while Djokovic dreams of a 25th Major which he basically does not need. And it is through humor that the Serb has highlighted this contrast for two weeks.
Zverev responds to Djokovic: 'How do I win a Grand Slam? Let me win one'
Video credit: Eurosport
Scathing humor and hidden meaning
It all started before this fortnight even began. During an exhibition match, Zverev delivered a winning forehand missile that Djokovic considered “unfair”, sparking laughter from the audience. To which the German replied (with a smile of course) that a player who had won 24 Grand Slam titles was puffed up to complain about it. Then, act 2 of this exchange of humorous barbs took place the next day, when the Serb invited himself to the German's pre-tournament press conference, playing the journalist:
Djokovic: “We know that you love the universe, the planets. Can you tell us what attracts you to the subject of space exploration?”
Zverev: “Trying to solve the mystery of the unknown. Is that a good answer? We think we know things, but in fact we know very little.”
Djokovic: “Do you think the answer to winning a Grand Slam is in space?”
Zverev: “I think the answer to that is you let me win one!”
A good proof of Zverev's self-deprecation, we can see at first glance. But is getting into this game good for him? “What's crazy about his answer is that we feel so much respect… More than Djokovic's question, it's Zverev's answer which shows the gulf between the two chartsnotes Camille Pin, consultant for Eurosport. Despite his stature and posture, Zverev has a huge lack of confidence to overcome, even in these responses. Even if he really means it, he's making a small mistake. It's a small battle of human management and maturity. Next time, he must not lower himself to that extent. He has to chart his course and he doesn't have to compare himself to Djoko.”
-Djokovic: “If I had lost the 2nd set, I don’t know if I would have continued”
Video credit: Eurosport
It's up to others to protect themselves, they must know that the duel begins before
In mastering the mental balance of power, Djokovic has no equal on the circuit. He knows how to get into the heads of his opponents like no one else. Carlos Alcaraz, who has already beaten him twice in the Major final at Wimbledon – something Zverev obviously cannot boast of –, learned it again the hard way, unable to deal with the opponent's injury in the quarter-final. And seemingly nothing, the ten-time champion in Melbourne put a coin back into the jukebox in his post-match interview, preparing, always with humor, the ground for his half to come.
“Having an extra day of recovery comes at the perfect time for me. I hope I can express myself as well as possible on the court because Sascha is playing some of the best Tennis of his life. Normally, we have an agreement: as long as I play, he will let me have Grand Slams“, he said, smirking, to Jim Courier. The method is reminiscent of that used by… Roger Federer, still in Melbourne, before his final in 2010. With a twinkle in his eye, the Swiss pretended to pity his future opponent Andy Murray, overwhelmed by the pressure which then weighed on his shoulders to conquer the Grail for the first time “in 150,000 years” for a Briton.
Affected in the adductor, Djokovic takes a medical timeout in the 1st set
Video credit: Eurosport
“This is not trivial. He’s Djokovic, he’s apart, with all his complexity. We don't really know what footing to dance on sometimes with himnotes Camille Pin again. He likes to maintain this ambiguity between first and…eighth degree. Serena Williams also had that, that bit of intimidation factor up front. These great champions are different in certain approaches. I think he likes the challenge, that’s a way of saying he’s there. Tennis is a real duel and people sometimes forget that because it's a beautiful game. But in the end, it's how you get into the other person's head. As long as it remains correct and good-natured, I find it rather nice. It's up to others to react well and protect themselves. They must know that the duel begins before.”
At 27 years old, and after a decade roaming the circuit, Alexander Zverev was not born recently. And he has no particular complex against Djokovic, whom he has still beaten four times in 12 confrontations, and on important occasions like the final of the Masters in 2018 or in the semi-finals of the Olympic Games in 2021. But on the long format, he has never achieved it yet. Until proven otherwise, the five-set event is the “Djoker” element. And even if he is not 100% physically, he remains the master of the mental game.
