The worst athlete is the nervous athlete.

According to Novak Djokovic, this is very simple, but very sound, reasoning. He heard the viewpoint from a Serbian sportscaster whose father is a retired professional boxer. It would seem someone like Djokovic would be impervious to such thoughts. After all, he’s had arguably the most decorated career in men’s tennis history.

But even one of the game’s greatest big match players still gets anxious, even expressing himself in volatile ways.

“I don’t think it’s wrong if you experience those emotions,” he says. “I think it’s part of you, part of the competition, part of because you care about it. It’s difficult to always stay flat. I think what is important is how you bounce back. Always bring yourself back to that optimal state where you are focused on the next move, or the next point or the next moment.”

Bouncing back is what Djokovic plans on doing in 2025.