FOR ALMOST two hours, he talked about motivation, his inner struggle, and the way he copes when losing a match. Whatever you do in life and whatever your goals are, listening to Novak Djokovic as he talks about the way he has accomplished his goals is an invaluable experience.

The best tennis player in the world returned from Australia to his home in Belgrade and brought the 17th Grand Slam with him. He went out in front of his building and played tennis on the concrete with children. Afterward, he came to his tennis center, stood in front of about 100 cameras, and shared some life lessons. He talked about the final match in Melbourne, when he won the title after turnarounds in five sets and opened a new finale, the one against Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, for the title of the greatest tennis player of all time. It was important for him to open this fight by winning the title of his favorite tournament. He won eight trophies in Australia, the first one 12 years ago. During that period, he went through great downfalls, reflected on his life countless times, and sought inspiration in various places. He has changed, but his power to get out of unbelievable situations, with Federer and 20,000 of his fans standing on the other side of the net, has become even greater and has turned into an indestructible weapon.

The definition of success

No other tennis player in the Open Era has ever won two Grand Slams after being two match-points behind. Djokovic managed to do it both in the semifinals of the US Open in 2011 and last year in Wimbledon. Both of those times, Federer lost, while Djokovic fought alone against the whole stadium.

In those moments, he tells us, he reverts to a child who, at the age of four, stated that he wanted to become the best tennis player in the world.

Today, since he achieved that goal of his, when asked if that makes him feel happy and fulfilled, Novak gave an answer which explains not only his path, but also the path of each one of us.

"Nowadays, everyone talks about records, trophies, and ambitions. This creates unnecessary tension. I have goals, but they are not my main motivation. Breaking records cannot make me feel completely fulfilled. Yes, I feel happy and proud at that moment, but that is not what will make me happy in life. What makes me happy is holding a racket in my hands. My love of tennis is the core of everything, and I keep coming back to it. There are days when I don't feel at my best, days when I don't feel like training, and if I don't think of that four-year-old who was just starting to play tennis, I cannot feel fulfilled regardless of the titles I win. Science has proven that, when you imagine something, it becomes real in your mind. I have faith in the images I manifest, and if they keep appearing, they keep getting bigger, to then become a reality. When that happens, you should not stop. That is the definition of success," he said. 

Both Nikola Pilic and Goran Ivanisevic supported Novak on his path, and he is extremely grateful to them. In the interview for Index that he had promised to give us back in Rio de Janeiro, during which we were the first to see him cry because he could not finish the tournament, Novak explained how he had crossed paths with Pilic and Ivanisevic, why he often says that Croats and Serbs are one and the same, what he had learned from Goran, Luka Modric and Janica Kostelic, as well as what he had learned from Federer and Nadal. This Olympic year will be special not only to him, but also to all of us who have the opportunity of enjoying the golden era of tennis. We wish Novak the same thing he himself wishes – to make this last.