Djokovic. "Most of the guys feel a lot of pressure when facing me in best of 5 in a Grand Slam. That's exactly how I want them to feel. It's a good thing that you have that kind of mental edge".
"Novak Djokovic is at the top of his game": Mental health specialist explains what sets World No. 1 apart
Tennis NewsThursday, 26 October 2023 at 11:20
Mental health specialist Brendon Stubbs has explained what sets Novak Djokovic apart, describing him as "at the top of his game."
The 36-year-old has had a hugely successful season, winning three out of four Grand Slams and equaling Margaret Court's record for 24 major titles in the process. He is also likely to end the year as World No. 1, having currently built up a total of 396 weeks in the position.
Meanwhile, Stubbs is a King's College London scholar who has written over 500 publications on mental health and physiotherapy. As a result of his expertise, he has held sessions with some of the world's top tennis players, including Djokovic, Belinda Bencic, and Alex de Minaur.
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Stubbs talks of Novak's "mental edge"
In a recent episode of the Live Well Be Well podcast, Stubbs explained what it was about Djokovic that gave him an "edge" in terms of mentality.
"Novak is at the top of his game, at the peak. It’s really interesting because I’ve spent a lot of time around some of the tennis players this summer and some tournaments previously with elite players.
"If you look at the sort of physical capabilities, speeds, reaction times, the fitness… there’s tiny tiny margins that are different between the top female and male players. But when you sort of get into the crux of the matches, you see the same players consistently going way over," he said.
"Novak has been a great example. It's that sort of mental edge, sort of that confidence and that inner battle or mind control which really does separate the amazing players from the absolute legends,
"It’s great to hear some of his insights around how seriously he takes all of the stuff we’re talking around in terms of looking after his mind, looking after his body, starting the day with meditation, mindfulness and really look at his whole body as one, it’s amazing," he added.
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