A Brian of London post… but this is a safe one OK? It’s a couple of days now since Novak Djokovic from Serbia pulled off a bit of a coup defeating Rafa Nadal in the final of this year’s Gentleman’s Singles competition at Wimbledon. I do love how it’s the “Gentleman’s” Singles: so much classier than Men’s Singles.
Well something that my wife picked up in the commentary from the Israeli commentators made me search for any connection he might have to Israel and look what turned up. I can’t find the original article in Hebrew but I found a translation of a long interview he gave to an Israeli magazine.
From a forum posting in December 2007 that I found here:
Novak Djokovic (Nole) visited Israel several weeks ago (He has an Israeli agent and a fitness trainer) and gave a LONG interview to one of Israel’s leading magazines. I won’t translate the whole article, because it’s very long, but there are some really good questions and answers in there you’ll probably enjoy. I assume the interview was given in English and was translated to Hebrew, so translating back would probably not be dead accurate.
Q: ”What are you missing (in order) to become number one:”
“They say I’m the strongest mentally, and I will work hard to fulfill the dream. It looks close, but I’m far away, because Federer and Nadal are a couple of thousands points above me. I’ve beaten both of them already and I have a lot of motivation”
About visiting Israel:
“I played here with Serbia in the Davis cup, but we didn’t have time to travel. This time I did some traveling in my three days here, you have an incredible country. I got to know it a little bit now and discovered there is plenty more to see. I was in Jerusalem in all the holy places. It was an amazing experience. As a religious man, a Christian, I feel obligated to come here at least one more time to see and experience the fantastic holy land, to pray and see where Jesus was crucified, where he was, where he was buried.”
Q: Did you visit the western wall in Jerusalem?
Nole: “Sure, I visited the western wall. It was very exciting/emotional”
Amit Naor (His agent): “Don’t tell him what you wrote in the note you put in the wall”.
Q: That was going to be my next question.
Nole: “No, what I wrote there is between me and God. There is no chance I will tell what I’ve written. I won’t even tell my parents. It’s a personal secret, what you wish for yourself and hope would happen”
Q: “There was another reason for your visit”.
Nole: “Yes, the main reason was a physical exam I wanted to do, blood tests and general check up so I could know what to work on and what to improve. Ronen (his fitness trainer) recommended I come here because he has a lot of friends in the Olympic community here.
“I gotta say I was pleasantly surprised by Tel Aviv and Israel in general. I was surprised by how the country looked and how progressive it was. I also experienced the nightlife here, it was important to me as a 20 years old”
Q: “Where did you hang-out at?”
Nole: “I have no idea how the place is called. Some club. But I expect to come back here again”
Q: “Did you like the Israeli girls?
Nole: “Obviously, but I wouldn’t want my girfriend to hear that. The Israeli girls remind me of the Serbian girls. Same mentality, hot blood. The girls here are very beautiful, really”.
Naor: “Luckily for you, your girlfriend does not read Hebrew”.
I wonder if the word “Wimbledon” featured on that note he put in the Western Wall?
