"His confidence might be affected": Mats Wilander intrigued about Novak Djokovic's competitive edge going in lower-ranked losses

Mats Wilander has lauded Novak Djokovic ahead of the Shanghai Masters starting for the 24-time Grand Slam champion. But he has also asked questions.

Speaking to Eurosport, Wilander said that it is a testament to the man that he can still produce at the level he does at this point in his career and shows how special an athlete he is.

"Well, Novak Djokovic is one special human being," he said. "That we know. For him to have the drive to still go out there, trying to win matches in, of course, the big tournaments, but even in the small tournaments, and to play Davis Cup is absolutely incredible. It's impressive that, physically, he wants to put in the effort.

"But practising when you are his age and when you have won as much as him, it's an absolute pleasure. I'm not talking about the gym sessions, but I'm talking about hitting the tennis ball against, remember, he's on tour, the likes of Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev.

"He's playing with the best players in the world because they want to practise with him. They don't care if they're going to play a match three days later."They want to enjoy practise and have a great time."

But also he said that he wonders what happens when he reaches the point in his life when he starts losing to poor players and how he reacts.

"I think that lifestyle part of quitting professional tennis is the part that, personally, I miss the most," he added.

"Not winning, not losing, not necessarily competing, but being on tour and practising with the best guys in the world on the centre court in Shanghai or the centre court at Roland Garros.

"Can he, though, do well in the Grand Slams without playing that many tournaments? Can he do well in the Grand Slams if he goes to Shanghai with any feeling that this is not important?

"Because at some point when he starts losing to guys that are one, two or three in the world, but also guys that are 10 to 20 in the world, his confidence might be affected, and the other guys' confidence is going to grow."