Djokovic on Alcaraz: “He absolutely deserves to be back on top”

Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday, March 21, 2023

Speaking to CNN in Dubai, Novak Djokovic said he did not regret his decision to remain unvaccinated and missing Indian Wells and Miami for the second year in a row, which contributed to his drop in the rankings.

Carlos Alcaraz won the Indian Wells title and the 22-time Grand Slam champion says he deserves to be number one. “I congratulate Alcaraz,” he said. “He absolutely deserves to be back on top.”

Novak Djokovic says he has “no regrets” about not being able to play in Indian Wells and the Miami Open in the US due to his vaccination status. https://t.co/Z1GIOHwNL3

— CNN (@CNN) March 21, 2023

Djokovic, who will return to European soil this spring as he prepares for a third Roland-Garros title, says he wants to focus on the present.

“I wish I could play in Indian Wells and Miami,” he said. “I love these tournaments. I have had great success there. But at the same time, this is a conscious decision that I made, and I knew that there was always a possibility that I would not go. And that’s the current state or current situation that I hope will change later this year for the US Open. This is the most important tournament for me on American soil.”

No regrets about turning 36 soon.

“No, I don’t regret anything,” Djokovic told CNN’s Becky Anderson. “I have learned throughout my life that regrets only hold you back and essentially make you live in the past. And I don’t want to do it. I also don’t want to live too much in the future. I want to be the same as in the present moment, but of course think about the future, create a better future.”