Lessons from Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic is a great role model for any competitive player. Here are 5 things I whish every one of my players would copy:

1) Flexibility is a Weapon

Flexibility is one of those factors that is considered important in theory but in practice it is often neglected. It is associated much more with injury prevention than with performance enhancement. However, Novak has shown the world how to use flexibility as a weapon by achieving balance and stability hitting aggressively from stretched positions where most players would feel totally out of defensive. If you want to maximize performance flexibility needs to take a more predominant role.

2) To Perform your Best Everything Counts

Competitive sports are all about maximizing your potential, and in order to do that you have to look at the whole picture. In the same way that Novak discovered that a gluten free diet helped him performed better, you need to take a close look at every element that may influence your performance and tweak it until you optimize it: nutrition, sleep, tournament schedule, rituals, routines, practice environment, fitness components, mental state, etc. Every little improvement counts.

3) You can Always Improve your Technique

One would think that if you are ranked top 5 in the world, your game has already matured and technical work is a thing of the past. However, one of the most important aspect that consolidated Djokovic game and allowed him to finally challenge Federer and Nadal was a technical change in his serve. Prior to 2011 he used to serve with a low elbow and a little bit of a catapult motion, which limited his effectiveness. By early 2011 he had cleaned up his motion and the rest is history. The lesson here is never stop working on your game. There is always room for improvement.

4) Mental Struggles are Part of the Game

It is hard to believe that one can lose confidence after being one of the most dominating players of all times. However, no one is exempt. We saw it in golf with Tiger Woods, and Djokovic certainly had his own demons to deal with. Pressure is a constant in competitive tennis and a crucial part of the challenge. Accept it and learn to deal with it because it never goes away.

5) Perseverance is an Essential Aspect of Competitive Tennis

The road to the top is not a smooth ride. It is a bumpy trip full of ups, downs and hidden obstacles. It took Novak a long time and many difficult losses to regain his form – not easy after being the dominant player on the tour, but that is tennis. Competitive tennis is extremely challenging and the sooner you understand that, the better. You give your best one day at a time, day after day regardless of your performance. Everything else is a waist of time.

Novak is a great role model, champion and TEACHER. Observe and learn!