Whether it is his ongoing hamstring injury or the emotions from being booted out of Australia and denied a chance to play in last year’s Open, Novak Djokovic feels he is playing with extra drive at this year’s event.
The nine-time Australian Open men’s champion couldn’t put his finger on what it was that was really pushing his buttons this year but he definitely feels there is something “extra” when he takes the court.
“I don’t think that I lack determination - I always try to give my best, particularly in Grand Slams, because, at this stage of my career those are the tournaments that count the most,” Djokovic said after he won his quater-final in straight sets on Wednesday night.
“But you could say that there is something extra this year, yeah. You could say because, as you mentioned, the injury, what happened last year. I just wanted to really do well.
“So far, I have a perfect score in Australian hard courts, in Adelaide and here. I’ve been playing better and better. I couldn’t ask for a better situation to be in at the moment.”