Ahead of the start of the 2023 Australian Open, ATP No. 5 Novak Djokovic revealed what led to his suspension a year ago and his subsequent ban from tournaments in the United States of America.

Djokovic, why measures related to Covid-19 helped

The Serbian claims that the move made a year ago at the Australian Open has proved to be a decisive factor in his success in 2022, allowing him to practice more, writes the Daily Mail.

He couldn’t even compete in tournaments organized in the United States because he wasn’t vaccinated against Covid-19, but he managed to win his seventh title at Wimbledon and finish the year by winning the ATP Tour Finals in Turin.

Back in Melbourne after the Australian government lifted the visa ban, Djokovic explained how the 2022 restrictions have benefited him.

“Not playing for a few months in the first half of the year allowed me to really focus and work on my body, my shots, which helped me get results later on.

As a professional tennis player at the highest level, you don’t have much time for long training sessions.

I also have to say that the positive experience I had in Australia outweighed the negative experience last year,” Djokovic said.

ATP number 5 won the Australian Open nine times.