I didn't know where I was because of the alcohol: Djokovic reveals why he stopped drinking for good, how he "missed" Jordan and how he learned to endure

The best tennis player of the World Novak Djokovic went from a boy who dreams about the Wimbledon trophy to accomplishing professional and life dreams, so he is the best tennis player and an athlete of the world today, a husband, son and a father. 

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He spoke about all of that in an interview for VICE.

Foto: Tanjug/AP

The very beginning of the talk was summarizing of successes which he accomplished after a first major injury.

- The injury was certainly a turning point in my life. Not just in tennis, but as a human being. I was somehow forced to go deep within myself and to discover some parts of me that I have been repressing for many years, and which emerged to the surface at the times when it wasn't going so well - Djokovic continued the story about being a father:

- When I became a father that gave me another giant boost, and in fact, that is the time when I had the best 15 months in my career... When I became a parent, I realized that there is much more to life and that I haven't paid enough attention to parts of me which, let's say, remained in some darkness..." 

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ABOUT SILENCE, ENDURING, AND MEDITATION 

The best tennis player in Serbia and the world has been practicing meditation which became a way of life. Nole has an interesting point of view to this:

- I am not meditating, I am at silence, so to say. The same thing. There is a term in orthodoxy, enduring and silence. Yes, I have been practicing meditation for almost 10 years. Meditation and doing the dishes. Meditation and watching the stars. Meditation and a bath, shower. 

- Meditation is everything which will lead you into the state of mind where you are completely present. That is what is called a ritual. We are a bit more conservative, and everything that we hear from the outside is taken with a certain reserve, or perhaps they have a wrong interpretation of that". 

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He adds that he understood his teacher only after a few years: "The greatest work in your life is now and it is the work on yourself". 

- We are people, we make mistakes and we have situations where we don't have a controlled emotion, we don't have controlled reactions. We are enraged, we smash something and so on. It happened to me on the court. I smash a racket. 

- I am not proud at all at that moment because I know that I am not sending a good message to the youth that is following me, because we athletes enjoy great support of the youth from all over the world who look up to us, because they want to become great and successful athletes just like we are. I am aware of that and I try to act accordingly. To make my words and behavior in harmony. However, that is not the case always. And I accept that as a step in my development."

Foto: Guliver/Michael Steele/Getty Images

NOLE USED TO DRINK

The life of a professional athlete demands complete dedication and a lot of sacrifices. Djokovic explained how was he feeling after consuming alcohol.

- I haven't been drinking for years. I sometimes did and as an athlete who rarely drinks, which is well known, one drink will throw me into the machine and I don't know where I am..." 

Foto: Nikola Tomić

- I am spending less time in the future and more in the present. Because, when you are searching for something, happiness, love, sense of belonging somewhere, whatever, you are keeping yourself in the future and uncertainty whether something is going to happen, and what should I do in order to make it happen... 

- I believe in the power of visualization... You picture yourself, just like I have been picturing myself that I will win the Wimbledon some day and I made an improvised trophy at home, it is a really powerful thing... I fee that I have nothing to search for, everything I search for I have in myself". 

Foto: Profimedia/AFP

ANECDOTE WITH MICHAEL JORDAN 

Novak's son went to meet his three idols, Michael Jordan, Sampras and legendary Italian skier, Albert Tomba. He has met two out of three - Sampras and Tomba, while he still hasn't met the legend of the world basketball. And he could have.

- Jordan was in Monte Carlo where I have been living for the past 10 years. And I remember, I had a break between two practices. My wife went to walk around the city with her sister. My phone rang and that was just before we were parents when we still had the time to rest, between practices. I have silenced my telephone, to keep it from ringing, to rest a bit... I have seen something flashing, flashing, vibrating. And I said what, who's calling me. Five missed calls. I answer and I remember that moment as if it was yesterday.

- She said: "Jordan is in front of me, five meters". I said: "What?". She said "Michael Jordan, your idol, who you want to meet very much is in front of me. Get here!" I don't know what has happened to me, but I said: " I can't, I have training in the afternoon and I have to rest..." I really said that. I hang up the phone and then I was thinking after 10 minutes of sweating. I went to her. But Jordan was already gone. And that was the moment, but nevermind. In any case, we will have the opportunity to meet each other somewhere. I hear that he is a passionate golfer. 

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(Telegraf.co.uk)