At Indian Wells, Djokovic has the answer

INDIAN WELLS — So at the place labeled Tennis Paradise, the No. 1  player in the world — and maybe ever, according to Sports Illustrated — was contemplating a stemwinder question not at all to do with paradise. 

“You’ve had such a spectacular career,” the 6-2, 5-7, 6-3, inquiry began and you knew what was coming — as did Novak Djokovic. “An incredible student of the game, my question is, this sport gives us so much. If you had to boil it down to just one or two key lessons that this sport has provided you, what would that be?”    

Fortunately, only moments before, Djokovic had concluded his first match in the BNP Paribas Open in five years, a 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 victory over Aleksandar Vukic. He could be pleasant and forgiving. And surely the cover story on him by Jon Wertheim in the latest Sports Illustrated helped.

“The last GOAT (Greatest of All Time) Standing,” would tend to make a man more accepting of irritating comments and double faults. Not that the guy nicknamed the Joker hasn’t always gone about his business making others laugh as well as applaud from his earlier years before he started collecting Grand Slam titles — he now has 24, two more than Rafael Nadal. The Joker was known as a joker. His mimicry of other players was as big a hit as were some of his forehands. 

And apropos of nothing but considering the Serb, now 36, had to battle his way to the top, there was the time he won the U.S. Open at Flushing Meadows and in the awards presentation was introduced as Da-okovic.

Roger Federer retired. Nadal, too often injured, may be retiring. Carlos Alcaraz, who Sunday defeated Felix Auger Aliassime, the Canadian, 6-2. 6-3, supposedly is the heir apparent. And Janik Sinner of Italy won the Australian Open in February.  

But for now the men’s game is in the possession of Djokovic.

The nonsense that presented Djokovic from entering the US or caused him to be expelled from Australia is a memory. If a painful memory.  

He’s on the march, and that’s as exciting for his sport as it is for Novak. Fans love winners. His presence at Indian Wells will help fill the 16,100-seat stadium.  

And regarding that complex, convoluted question tossed at Djokovic, he handled the situation with a quick feel-good response. 

“Very good question,” Djokovic insisted regarding the lessons tennis has offered. He smiled, either an affirmation or a put-down.

“I need a little prep on that to give you a right answer.”

“But I would say out of the blue it definitely made me more resilient, I think, just for everything else in life, really. Competing at the highest level for 20 years has allowed me to tap into parts of myself mentally, physically and emotionally that I didn’t know existed. I had to really dig deep so many times to overcome challenges and reach history.”  

A tough, long question to The Joker, brings a heartfelt answer.