The Book Club, Part 2: How Djokovic finally became a French Open champ

The Book Club returns for Roland Garros. I talked with Carole Bouchard, a freelance tennis writer based in France, about her new book, “The Quest,” which covers Novak Djokovic’s career-long chase to win Roland Garros.

Part 1 of our conversation, which explains the origins of the book, can be read here. Part 3 will be released on Tuesday.

Carole,

I have to admit, I was one of those in the media who didn't immediately step back and put Djokovic's Slam in perspective. I can only defend myself by saying that, after watching him go for the French Open for so long, I was focused on that achievement more than any other.

As for how people perceive him, I think you make a good point when you say that he comes with a lot of layers. His life can seem like one giant effort to keep them all in balance.

There's Djokovic and his relationship with his family; we've watched him grow and become more independent over the years. There's Djokovic and his relationship to Serbia; he obviously means something there that's completely different from what he means everywhere else. There's Djokovic and his relationship to his Davis Cup teammates, and his sideline support group. There's Djokovic and his relationship to the fans, especially fans who had already pledged themselves to Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal. There's Djokovic and his relationship to his tour-mates; he's always seemed to have a knack for remaining one of the guys, despite obviously being an elite figure. And there's Djokovic the tennis player, who has to think of himself first.

That's a lot to keep together, and maybe that's why he talks so often about how much dedication, day in and day out, it takes to be at the top of the sport. To Djokovic, being No. 1 is about more than tennis; it's a 24/7 lifestyle choice. Maybe that's also why, when he gets frustrated, I sometimes feel like it's more than just the pressure of the match itself that's getting to him. It's as if he's venting about how much is on his shoulders in general. But as you write, Carole, he usually has things balanced again by the time he comes into the interview room.

I've followed Djokovic's career closely, but I learned a lot from your book. I didn't know that after losing the 2015 French Open final to Stan Wawrinka, Boris Becker forced Djokovic to practice with Stan right away on grass. From what you say, Becker's best attribute as a coach was his determination to give Djokovic the unvarnished version of what he saw as the truth. That's one positive of hiring a star coach; he should have no problem telling the star player exactly what he thinks.

I also found the relationship between Djokovic and Wawrinka interesting. Djokovic seemed to be helped by the respect that Wawrinka showed him after beating him in Paris in 2015; it even helped him put the match behind him more quickly. And I liked the fact that Wawrinka, in the middle of his celebration, thought, "Don't make him wait at the net." It's interesting that the Big 3—Roger, Rafa, and Novak—are OK being friends with, and practicing with, Wawrinka and Murray, but they don't practice with each other. Even in this era of good feelings, the biggest rivals keep some distance between each other.

And I liked what Djokovic had to say about the French Open and his quest to win it: "Roland Garros has contributed to my maturity mentally, and the comprehension of my mental ability and strength."

Winning the French for Djokovic really was personal; it forced him to test his limits. Considering that, Carole, do you think it should have come as a surprise that he had such a letdown after finally winning it?

Steve,

Yes, that's one of my favorite anecdotes in the book because it's very telling of how Becker found his place inside the team. It was a big risk to throw Novak on that court at Wimbledon with Stan, but it worked, and it was really a Boris decision, as not everyone in the team through it would work.

Another defining moment for them came at the 2016 French Open during Djokovic’s match against Bautista Agut. I love that one. Becker told me how he got into Novak's face backstage during a rain break, because he felt it was the only way to avoid disaster. He said he felt he was now "allowed" to talk to Novak like that. (You'll find it in my book ;) But Becker also made it work with Djokovic because he was dedicated to helping him win. Novak was front and centre. No battle of egos. And he still talks about Novak with great fondness.

Regarding Wawrinka, I think he actually helped Novak win in 2016. Because of the brother-like care he showed towards Novak, he helped him to find something nice to reach out to when thinking about that loss in 2015. Djokovic would always bring that up when he was asked about how he bounced back from that crushing defeat in Paris. It helped him keep his head above water until the scar healed. And talking to Stan about that, it was clear from his side how bad he felt for Novak on that day, despite the huge joy he had of winning. That was a really touching moment. That's the proof that you can be friends and rivals, but that's rare, and normal. So much is at stake.

And yes, it has to be revealing of something that you wouldn't ever see Novak, Rafa and Roger hit together. They've faced off so many times for the biggest trophies; they're each other's nemesis for history. They have mad respect for each other, but it's tough to demand more.

A letdown after 2016 wasn't surprising, but the size of the letdown was. He never thought winning in Paris would demand that much from him, and that he'd feel that empty after. People have to remember that he had been on a wild ride for nearly two years. And that at the end of it he got his Holy Grail. At some point, he had to wonder: What’s next?

He just needed to enjoy his achievement, but there was no time, and then he got back out there at Wimbledon and discovered the spark was gone a bit, then his body started to warn him about the red zone he was entering. And little by little everything changed. Mentally he just couldn't go on anymore at that pace. I thought it was brave for him to acknowledge it. He maybe avoided burning out that way. Marian Vajda mentioned the example of Borg, who decided to quit because it was getting to be too much.

I think that it could help Novak to have gone through this, to have found himself at a crossroads. Now he's off to a new chapter, to reinvent himself a bit. Becker told me that maybe it would prolong his career. Because now comes a new challenge, the one he was searching for after accomplishing everything. I feel that's key for Djokovic's future.

Part 3 of the Book Club conversation between Steve Tignor and Carole Bouchard will be released on Tuesday. You can purchase The Quest on Amazon.com here.

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