Novak Djokovic has been the face of men’s tennis for the past four years. Considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time, the Serbian superstar has had a rough start to the season. A title in Doha followed by a second-round defeat at the Australian Open has left Djokovic looking for answers. Not one to play the week before the American hardcourt swing, Djokovic decided to accept a wildcard into the acapulco event. Boasting a field that already had Rafael Nadal and Milos Raonic, the Serbia’s presence will add more interest and intrigue into this event.
This surprising move by Djokovic is also a major indication into the inner workings of his mind.
Djokovic needs to learn how to win again
It may sound strange, but even a player as great as Novak Djokovic can suffer from a lack of confidence. When he started to dominate tennis (back in 2013) Djokovic made winning seem as easy as riding a bike. His victories were automatic, and the constant grimace on the faces of his opponents made all of his fans smile. However, tennis is a game of margins, and as soon as you start to lose, those results can begin to snowball. Once thought to be a legitimate calendar year grand slam contender Djokovic’s results in the latter half of the 2016 season were modest (by his lofty standards).
Having lost the world number 1 ranking to Andy Murray may think that Djokovic would approach his matches with a nothing to lose attitude but in fact, the opposite happened. By entering into the Acapulco tournament, Djokovic is making his intentions clear. He wants to play more tennis matches in the hope of regaining the winning feeling that he has lost.
This move might seem strange to some, but for Djokovic, he needs to stop the bleeding quickly.
The stiff competition will help make him sharp
The fact that this tournament will feature six of the top ten players in the world is extra incentive for Djokovic. If he wants to reassert himself as the best player in the world, then has to defeat the best in the world.
The conditions in Acapulco are perfect for tennis and match up well with those in Indian Wells.
Djokovic has to be in peak form in this event, especially now that his aura of invincibility has cracked. If Djokovic can come into this tournament focused and fit, this is the type of event that he can use to make a statement. Momentum is very fickle, and with one good win, Djokovic could turn his luck around.
Competitors like Djokovic will want to play against the best field of players possible, and that is what he will get at this tournament. Though some view Djokovic’s choice as an oddity, it makes perfect sense considering the current state of his game.
