Novak Djokovic is attempting to shift his attention back to tennis following his wedding to longtime girlfriend Jelena Ristic in July, with the couple also expecting their first child this year.
"Tennis is a big part of my life. I enjoy the sport. I love this sport. I love competing, traveling, you know, being around people who care about me," he said after a first-round win at Cincinnati, adding that he was aware of the efforts his team puts in to get him ready for competition.
"I understand that many people who are not as fortunate as I am to do what they love to do. To be top of the world in this sport, it's quite a remarkable [thing], so I always try to remind myself of that."
But the Serb also acknowledged that events off the court were also occupying his attention. He fell to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the third round of Toronto, his first tournament since Wimbledon, and also went three sets against Gilles Simon in his Cincinnati opener. He lost to Tommy Robredo in the next round.
"Big things have happened in my life recently," Djokovic said. "So of course these are the joyful moments in life one can experience. That obviously is going to affect my, you know, priorities in life."
He insisted, however, that his motivation was unaffected.
''But tennis-wise I'm going to, of course, as long as I have this passion for the sport, keep on going and keep on practicing and working and hoping that I can win many big titles and stay No. 1," he said.