Novak Djokovic is still chasing more, just on his own terms

AT 38, Novak Djokovic is no longer interested in separating the player from the person. The distinction, he says, never really held up.

“Over the years, I’ve learnt that mental and emotional well-being is everything. On the court and off the court, it’s the same person,” he says. 

It is a simple statement, but it reframes how he now understands performance. The physical demands of the sport have not changed. What has changed is how Djokovic approaches them. He places more weight on how he feels day to day, and how that carries into matches.

“If something is not right inside, it shows in my tennis, there’s no doubt about it,” tells Esquire.

For a player whose career has been defined by control, this reads less like a concession and more like an extension of it. The difference is in what is being controlled. Earlier in his career, that meant physical endurance, recovery, precision. Now it includes acceptance.

“For me, finding that balance came from taking a more holistic approach and accepting that I’m human. I make mistakes, I have weaknesses, and that’s okay.”

That idea complicates the way his career has often been understood. Djokovic has been cast, at different points, as disruptor, antagonist, outsider to the Federer-Nadal axis, a player whose presence altered the balance of the sport without always being embraced by it. The reception has shifted over time, but the underlying consistency has not. He has always been deliberate. What now reads differently is the integration of that intent with a more flexible internal framework.

“To be strong, courageous, and successful, you also must allow yourself to be vulnerable,” he says.

The version of Djokovic seen on court has never been a performance in the theatrical sense, although he’s been known to ham it up for an adoring audience. It is the same set of instincts, but intensified. Focus becomes fixation. Discipline sharpens into something closer to compulsion. What has changed is not the intensity, but the tolerance around it. The rigidity has eased without compromising the standard.

“What keeps me going is first and foremost my love for the game. Tennis has been my life for so long, and I still enjoy every moment on the court. I love the competition, I love the challenge, and I still feel strong and capable of competing with the younger players – that’s a big part of the fun for me.”

There is a tendency, at this stage of a career, to position everything in terms of conclusion. Djokovic resists that framing. Even when discussing the Olympic gold medal in Paris, the one major achievement that had eluded him, the emphasis remains on the experience itself rather than what it signifies.

“Olympic gold was a lifelong dream for me,” he says. “I went to four Olympic Games, and for a long time that medal was missing.”

He speaks about it in precise terms. The age, the context, the presence of family.

“To win in Paris, at 37, representing Serbia, is without question one of the greatest moments of my career. Standing there, singing the national anthem, holding the gold medal – it’s a feeling that stays with you forever, not just in your memory but in your whole body.”

It was also one of the few moments where the emotional register becomes more visible and Djokovic let what he might call the real him show. Not The Joker or the player, but a man at the pinnacle of his career and personal dreams.

“I’ve never experienced emotions like that on a tennis court before. The tears just came, naturally. It was very pure, very powerful.”

The conclusion others might draw from that moment does not interest him.

“But I don’t feel like I’ve ‘completed’ tennis,” he says, not so much dismissive of detractors but determined to never let them get inside his head.

The refusal to treat it as an endpoint is consistent with how Djokovic has approached the sport across two decades. His career has been built on extension, on finding additional margins where none appear to exist. The motivation remains intact, but its source has shifted slightly inward.

“My motivation to keep playing comes from my love for the game, from competition, and from challenging myself.”

There is also a practical dimension to that continuation. The physical demands have not lessened, but his response to them has become more measured. Preparation is no longer about accumulation. It is about efficiency.

He is also pragmatic about how his body has changed. “At this stage of my career, preparation isn’t just about training harder,” he says. “It’s about training smarter, listening to my body, and making sure I’m at my best physically and mentally so I can compete at the highest level.”

That recalibration extends beyond the court. Fatherhood, which once existed alongside his career, now informs it more directly. The tension between time away and presence is acknowledged without being resolved.

“It’s one of the biggest challenges – finding the right balance between tennis and family life, especially as my children are growing and have school commitments, so they can’t travel with me as much as before.”

What has changed is the role competition plays within that structure.

“When I’m on the court, I’m motivated not just to win, but to set an example – to show them values like dedication, resilience, and love for what you do. That motivation is very powerful and very personal.”

In that context, he explains that tennis is now part of a broader system rather than the defining one. “Tennis is still very important to me, but it’s no longer everything. And in a way, that gives me more strength.”

THE SAME LOGIC underpins his partnership with Hublot. Djokovic explains this connection as one that isn’t so much about endorsement as it is an alignment of principles.

“My relationship with Hublot started very naturally, through a shared love and respect for sport, movement, and sustainability,” he says.

What he responds to is not the object itself, but the process behind it.

“When I look at the parallels between elite sport and high-end watchmaking, it really comes down to the relentless pursuit of excellence. Precision is everything – every detail matters.”

It is a language that mirrors his own approach to tennis. Incremental gains, constant refinement, a refusal to accept fixed limits.

“There is always a desire to improve, to refine, and to push boundaries, even when you are already at the top.”

That alignment becomes more tangible in his involvement with the Big Bang Tourbillon Novak Djokovic GOAT Edition. He’s eager, too, to point out that his role isn’t just symbolic.

“I’m very involved in the creative process,” he presses. “That’s what makes collaborating with Hublot on this new limited edition watch project so special.”

The watch is structured as a reflection of his career, but his interest lies in how those ideas are translated into design.

“What I love about this watch is that it reflects some of the values that matter most to me: creative thinking, craftsmanship, lightness, beauty in design, but also practicality and style. It feels very complete.”

Completion, in this instance, applies to the object rather than the individual. Djokovic’s own framing remains open, deliberately so.

“Records are great, of course, but for me, the motivation comes from the process, the love for the sport, and the challenge of constantly learning and evolving.”

That approach carries into how he views competition itself. There is no fixation on specific opponents, no attempt to construct narratives in advance.

“I’m always excited to face strong, talented opponents because every match is a new challenge. Competing against the best keeps me sharp and motivated.”

The emphasis is on execution rather than anticipation.

“Ultimately, I’m just looking forward to playing my game, staying focused, and seeing how far I can go in the tournament.”

He is still competing at the same level, but with a narrower schedule and more attention on recovery. The adjustments are practical, applicable to the game and life off court, where rest and family are number one, but designed to keep him competitive across fewer, targeted events.

“That motivation is very powerful and very personal.”

Tennis remains central, but it now sits alongside family and other commitments that shape how and when he plays.

“It really comes down to love and play,” he says. “When you truly love what you do, you stop being obsessed with the result, and you start enjoying the process more. And when you enjoy the process, that’s when you can express yourself fully and reach your potential.”

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